Shelby Miller Shut Down, Rainouts May Mean Dansby Swanson Activated Sans Rehab Games

It was a really cool story for a while, but righty reliever Shelby Miller will not be joining the Cubs for their playoff push. The 35-year-old had been throwing harder than ever at Triple-A just a little over 10 months removed from his second elbow reconstruction and it looked as though an activation might be coming. As Craig Counsell told media members prior to Tuesday’s game, however, the team felt the risk outweighed the reward.

Having him ramp his workload to postseason intensity wasn’t in the best interests of either the Cubs or Miller, especially when he’s still under contract for next season. And it’s not as though his stuff was necessarily playing at the highest caliber just yet. With an offseason to continue working, he could be a valuable member of the bullpen if and when the 2027 season gets underway.

Dansby Swanson is still on track to return this weekend in Cincinnati; it’s a matter of whether he’ll be able to play in any rehab games first. He’s with the Iowa Cubs for their series in Omaha, but Tuesday’s game was rained out and Wednesday’s forecast is also pretty dicey. They’re still working out the specifics, and it’s possible he could still rejoin the big club on Friday.