Is a Cardinals and Shelby Miller reunion in the works? - A Hunt and Peck

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By lil_scooter93 Jun 10, 2021, 2:00pm EDT

Division Series - Los Angeles Dodgers v St Louis Cardinals - Game Four

After encountering injuries to pitchers:

Jack Flaherty (10-day IL)
Kwang Hyun Kim (10-day IL)
Miles Mikolas (60-day IL)
Jordan Hicks (60-day IL)
Dakota Hudson (60-day IL)

it has become pretty clear the Cardinals could use some more pitching, specifically starting pitching. Right now the rotation is literally Martínez, Waino, pray for rain-o (because they are the only guys left). The rotation is stretched thin, to say the least. Since the Cardinals are clearly in need of starters, it might even be harder to trade for one without paying a premium. One thing we know about the Cardinals though is they like to shop for bargains.

pic.twitter.com/GXdKG5o28E
— Jeff Jones (@jmjones) June 6, 2021

There are a few possible options there, but there one I hadn’t considered until the player brought up the possibility himself:

Stay Tuned
— Shelby C Miller (@ShelbyMiller19) June 10, 2021

(H/T to thestlcardinalsfan4)

What does this mean? Anything?

For one thing, Shelby Miller was with the Cubs to start the year. He came out of the bullpen for three appearances back in April, pitched two innings, and gave up seven runs. He went on the Injured List with a back strain and then made a start in a rehab assignment on May 9 where he pitched three innings of no-hit ball and struck out five. He was DFA’d by the Cubs on May 26 and release on May 31.

What it sounds like to me is Shelby Miller and the Cardinals needs line up pretty well. He is extremely available and the Cardinals have some extreme availability, whether in the rotation or the bullpen. It would not surprise me at all to see the Cardinals try to sign him to a minor league deal and eventually put him on the 40-man, especially if he is publicly hinting at it already (unless he is using my bit of “manifesting something he wants by acting like it is for sure going to happen” technique). I have been wrong about oh-so-many-many things before, so take this for what it is — a complete guess by a noted idiot — but I bet we see a Shelby Miller-Cardinals reunion in the coming weeks. That is just a hunch from someone with no insider information though.

It gives me an excuse to watch this again though:

There are plenty of trade candidates, however. MLB Trade Rumors listed them here with an explanation. I have picked out the pitchers, but check out the article for more detail:

Jon Gray (starter RHP, Rockies)
Matthew Boyd (starter LHP, Tigers)
Tyler Anderson (starter LHP, Pirates)
Richard Rodrigues (reliver RHP, Pirates)
Kyle Gibson (starter RHP, Rangers)
Ian Kennedy (reliver RHP, Rangers)
Kendall Graveman (reliver RHP, Mariners)
Yimi Garcia (reliver RHP, Marlins)
Michael Fulmer (reliver RHP, Tigers)
Michael Pineda (starter RHP, Twins)
Dylan Bundy (starter RHP, Angels)
Andrew Heaney (starter LHP, Angels)
Jose Urena (starter RHP, Tigers)
Raisel Iglesias (reliver RHP, Angels)
Merrill Kelly (starter RHP, Diamondbacks)
German Marquez (starter RHP, Rockies)
Spencer Turnbull (starter RHP, Tigers)
John Means (starter LHP, Orioles)
Sonny Gray (starter RHP, Reds)
Danny Duffy (starter LHP, Royals)
Madison Bumgarner (starter LHP, Diamondbacks)