Hoby

Milner

Milner rejoins Seattle’s bullpen prior to Tuesday’s series opener against the Rangers after spending a couple days away from the club to deal with a family emergency. The 35-year-old southpaw signed a minor league deal with the club earlier this month.

It’s unclear when Milner will return but we wish him well.

Why like this? The Mariners only just now announced the Milner signing, but if they say it actually happened last night, that makes him postseason eligible, which he wouldn’t be if he only joined the organization today. Milner had a 3.53 ERA in 38 appearances for the Cubs before going on the IL with appendicitis on June 27. He returned to the mound on July 29, but the Cubs never activated him from his rehab assignment before letting him go on Friday.

Milner had been placed on outright waivers and now he has been removed from the club’s 40-man roster. The expectation is that the 35-year-old southpaw will pass through waivers unclaimed and elect free agency.

Miler has been on the injured list since the end of June while recovering from appendicitis. The left-hander will hit the wire and be eligible to be claimed, and if he isn’t, he’ll either elect free agency or report to Triple-A Iowa.

He underwent surgery this morning. Milner makes for an even dozen Cubs pitchers on the major league injured list. Even though his strikeout rate is all of the way down to 12 percent, the veteran southpaw has a 3.53 ERA in 35 2/3 innings this season. Expect him back soon after the All-Star break.

Brown, who stranded the bases loaded after coming in with none out in the eighth, was robbed in broad daylight. Even though Brown had thrown just 11 pitches to get five outs, the Cubs brought in Milner to face Gavin Sheets with the bases empty. They had to know the Padres would counter, but since Milner wound up striking out pinch-hitter Ramón Laureano to end the game, it all worked out for Craig Counsell. Brown is still looking for his first save, and with Daniel Palencia close to returning, it might not materialize any time soon.

Milner heads to the Windy City after spending the previous season with the Rangers where he posted a strong 3.84 ERA — 3.39 FIP — and 58/21 K/BB ratio across 70 1/3 innings over 73 appearances. The 34-year-old veteran southpaw has experienced a noticeable decline in both fastball velocity and strikeout percentage last year, but he should remain an effective middle relief option for Chicago on a short-term pact.

It’s a one-year, $3.75 million deal, according to ESPN’s Jesse Rogers. Milner gets little respect, but his left arm has produced a 3.55 ERA and a 245/63 K/BB in 264 innings the last four years. That his velocity and strikeout rate both declined at age 34 last season is definitely a little worrisome, but as a one-year deal, it should work out fine.

Still no word on the contract details, but the 33-year-old left-hander had been projected to earn around $2.5 million via arbitration before he was non-tendered by the Brewers. While he had a bit of a down season in 2024, Milner has established himself as one of the stronger left-handed relievers in all of baseball and he should be a welcomed addition to the Rangers’ bullpen.