The Diamondbacks have signed right-hander Shelby Miller to a minor league contract, FanSided’s Robert Murray reports. Miller will receive an invitation to Arizona’s big league spring camp.
This will be Miller’s second stint in a D’Backs uniform, as he previously pitched for the team from 2016-18. Miller’s first arrival in Arizona came with much more fanfare in December 2015, as the rebuilding Braves sent Miller and Gabe Speier for Dansby Swanson, Ender Inciarte, and pitching prospect Aaron Blair. The Diamondbacks viewed Miller as a rotation cornerstone, but fate intervened, as he struggled to a 6.35 ERA over three seasons and 139 innings with the team. Injuries played a large role, particularly a Tommy John surgery that cost him most of the 2017-18 seasons.
Arizona non-tendered Miller after the 2018 season, more or less closing the book on one of the more infamous trades in franchise history. He has since pitched for six more teams at the MLB level, posting a 5.35 ERA in 161 1/3 innings while showing some glimpses of a higher ceiling as a relief pitcher. Miller posted a 1.71 ERA over 42 innings with the Dodgers in 2023 but he couldn’t follow up, as he had a 4.53 ERA in 55 2/3 frames last season after signing a one-year, $3MM deal with the Tigers. Miller didn’t quite make it to the end of the full season, as Detroit designated him for assignment and released him in the final week of regular-season play.
Miller’s big season in Los Angeles involved some good fortune in the form of a .165 BABIP and an 89.3% strand rate. He still had a .215 BABIP with the Tigers last year, but the strand rate plummeted to 60.3%, while his strikeout and homer rates both went in the wrong direction. Miller’s 93.5mph fastball was still a plus pitch, but after a newly-developed splitter led to a lot of success for Miller in 2023, batters figured the pitch out last year and made a lot more loud contact.
The 34-year-old Miller brings some veteran experience to the Diamondbacks’ depth chart, and it would make for a great story if he could make the roster and find some redemption after his previous stint with the team went so poorly. The D’Backs have been looking for relief help for much of the offseason, with Kendall Graveman and Seth Martinez the most prominent additions. Miller is one of several non-roster invites in Arizona’s camp that will be vying for jobs at the back end of the Snakes’ bullpen.
Diamondbacks legend!
Seriously, missed Atlanta for the full circle.
Forever Giant?
Haha oh yeah I forgot , fz moves are hard to keep track of sometimes filled my memory banks with all those transactions.
Less pressure this time around. That Swanson trade still haunts me. Thanks Dave Stewart
One of the worst trades in diamondbacks history
Worse than the Jordan Montgomery signing
Ha! Maybe it will pay off this time around
There’s a pairing i never thought we would see again…
My thoughts exactly.
Dude! Stop!! Some people don’t fit in certain uniforms and he’s one of them.
I’ll never forget this trade. Lol what a bust for Arizona.
Miller and Montgomery could both be moved to the Mets at the deadline. That’s a fit for both teams.
Dude is so overrated. Other than the brief stint with the Dodgers being his only good season in ten years.
Who overrates him or has even cared about him in those 10 years? lol
Dbacks fans cause we were part of that awful trade
Big props to this guy for pulling $22M from an insane career. At least he made some bucks
Definitely a survivor. Good for you Shelby. Remember to make your way back to St. Louis before you hang ’em up.
12 year career and a positive WAR. Definitely a fighter and in it for a much larger stint than most.
Byung-Hyun Kim wasn’t available??!!
Dave Stewart won the trade
As long as he isn’t dragging his knuckles, that’s better than his last DBacks stint lol
This guy still gives me nightmares. Maybe he signs here as a last “F you” to Dbacks fans, blows a few important games, then retires into the sunset.
Had a few good outings last year with Detroit but for the most he just blew games that tigers should have won.
I’d forgotten about that bizarro 2015 with Atlanta, 3.02 ERA in 205 innings but 6-17 record for an awful team that had no 20 HR hitters