Former Dodgers Pitcher Designated For Assignment By AL Contenders

Maren Angus-Coombs | Sep 24, 2024

Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Out of the 21 relief innings pitched by the Detroit Tigers bullpen in three games against the Baltimore Orioles, former Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Shelby Miller did not take the mound at all.

It was a critical series — the most critical series of the season for the upstart Tigers, who have won 12 of 15 to move into Wild Card position. And Miller was nowhere to be found.

With the end in sight, the Tigers called up their top pitching prospect, Jackson Jobe, signaling a shift in the roster.

Miller was designated for assignment to make room for Jobe.

“His usage had declined,” said manager AJ Hinch, who gave Miller the news after the team plane landed in Detroit Sunday night. “I hadn’t used him a ton. I didn’t even get him up in Baltimore and the decision hadn’t even been made on what we were doing at that point (with Jobe).

“It became more and more clear (Miller) was falling toward the back of the line. That combination with us wanting to get Jackson in the mix made him the odd man out.”

At 33 years old, Miller had only pitched 4.2 innings in September, but his last outing was a highlight, as he managed to strand the bases loaded and secure a win for Detroit over Kansas City.

However, the season had its challenges for him, as he recorded eight losses and blew seven saves.

“There was a lot of good and a lot of times he struggled, as well,” Hinch said. “But like I told him, it was one or two pitches here, one or two pitches there and he got burned by the long ball a lot. That was unfortunate for us and unfortunate for him.

“Because there were stretches when he got a lot of big outs.”

The Tigers signed Miller to a $3 million contract this offseason, which included a team option for 2025, after he finished strong with the Dodgers last year. His success in Los Angeles was partly due to his development of a splitter.

By making 51 appearances, Miller triggered a $100,000 bonus in his contract. Additionally, the Tigers will need to pay him the $250,000 buyout tied to the team option.

The news of the roster move shocked the clubhouse once the team returned to Detroit.

“Shelby is a great guy and just such a big part of this clubhouse,” Matt Vierling said. “He was one of the few veteran guys we have. But it is what it is. It’s baseball. It’s the way it works.

“It caught me by surprise and I imagine it caught everybody else by surprise, too. But we love Shelby and everything he did for us. We just have to move forward and keep going.”