Recent Brewers' trade acquisition lands multi-year deal with arch-rival Cubs

The Milwaukee Brewers had an interesting 2025 trade deadline. The team was absolutely rolling when the July 3 deadline arrived, and as a result, the front office opted for a relatively quiet deadline that improved the margins of the Brewers' roster.

Milwaukee upgraded their backup catcher position by adding Danny Jansen in a trade that sent infield prospect Jadher Areinamo to the Tampa Bay Rays. The Brewers also took advantage of their surplus of starting pitchers, sending Nestor Cortes and prospect Jorge Quintana to the San Diego Padres for outfielder Brandon Lockridge. Then, just before the deadline passed, the Brewers executed an odd deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The Brewers acquired Shelby Miller and Jordan Montgomery from the D-backs and didn't give up a player in return. By way of absorbing some of the remaining salary of the injured Montgomery, the Brewers were able to acquire a high-leverage reliever in Miller without surrendering any prospect capital. It was a savvy move from Matt Arnold and the Brewers' front office that was paying off significantly before Miller went down with a season-ending elbow injury.

Miller, who was dealing with a forearm strain at the time the Brewers acquired him, made 10 appearances for the Crew in August, nine of which were very strong. However, on September 1, during an outing against the Philadelphia Phillies, Miller's elbow gave out on him and he quickly knew that he was destined for the second Tommy John surgery of his career.

Now in the process of recovering from said surgery, amid questions of whether or not the 13-year MLB vet would attempt a return to the big-leagues, the 35-year-old Miller has signed a multi-year contract with the Brewers' arch-rivals, the Chicago Cubs, as reported by FanSided's own Robert Murray.

Brewers' 2025 trade deadline addition, Shelby Miller, signs multi-year contract with Chicago Cubs

Miller won't pitch in 2026 -- recovering from his second Tommy John surgery in his mid-30s is likely to be a lengthy process, but if he can return to the form that he displayed as a high-leverage weapon with the Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Dodgers over the last three seasons, it could be a potentially impactful move in 2027.

From 2024-26, Miller posted a 3.13 ERA with more strikeouts than innings pitched and a stellar walk rate, while averaging 45 appearances per season. He's likely to lose a few ticks on his fastball, which was up to an average of 95 mph in 2025, but his elite splitter isn't going anywhere.

While the exact specifics of the deal have yet to be revealed, it's unlikely to be more than a two-year pact given the uncertainty surrounding Miller's return. Depending on the dollar amount and whether or not his recovery seeps into the 2027 campaign, which will be his age-36 season, it could either be a wise, forward-thinking move from Jed Hoyer and the Cubs' front office or a waste of money. These are the types of risks that a big-market club like the Cubs, who aren't too impacted if Miller ends up adding zero value over the course of his contract, can afford to take.