Oct. 31: Miller has elected free agency, per the MLB.com transactions log. That was a foregone conclusion once he cleared waivers, as players with three-plus years of MLB service who are outrighted off the 40-man roster can become free agents at season’s end.
Oct. 28: The Cardinals have assigned Miller outright to Triple-A Memphis after he went unclaimed on waivers.
Oct. 25: The Cardinals are designating reliever Justin Miller for assignment, relays Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Twitter link). The move was necessary to create space on the 40-man roster for Jordan Hicks, who is being reinstated from the 60-day injured list in a procedural move. Players must be activated off the 60-day IL before the start of the offseason.
St. Louis added Miller off waivers from the Nationals in early July. The 34-year-old tossed 16 innings of 4.50 ERA ball with the Cards down the stretch. Miller threw strikes at a solid rate but only struck out 13.2% of opposing hitters with a meager 9.3% swinging strike rate. A fly-ball pitcher, Miller allowed five homers in 19 innings split between Washington and St. Louis, although only two of those came in a Cardinal uniform.
Miller didn’t pitch in the big leagues in 2020, but he appeared at the highest level in five of the six seasons from 2014-19. The right-hander posted big strikeout numbers with the 2015 Rockies and 2018 Nats, but he hasn’t been able to lock down a long-term bullpen role over the past few seasons due to inconsistent performance and injuries.
The Cardinals will place Miller on outright or release waivers in the coming days. Should he pass through unclaimed, he’d have the right to elect minor league free agency as a player who has previously been outrighted in his career.
Good riddance.
It would be hilarious if in his introductory presser Oliver Marmol announced his first official move as Cards manager is to pull the chain on Justin Miller. If I was Mozeliak I’d let him have credit for it – gets his tenure off to a guaranteed good start.
@missed war…I was definitely wrong about the Braves…but I was routing for them the whole time…good luck in the series
Good riddance? Lol you must have watched the games where he shut the Mets down in the 7th and 8th inning….
Justin Miller was a big part of the reason the Cardinals won a little ceasers pizza this year and played the 2nd seed in the NL in a one and done game. Just cause he got the big three rest and pitched better than his sub replacement level counterparts
Optics on this move not good. Does Mormol have an issue with this guy? Maybe.
You’re reading way too much into this.
Man the comments section on this site is filled with the dumbest people on the face of the earth
It’s pretty crazy. Some of the worst ideas ever. You gotta think most of these people are just throwing stuff up for reaction. I mean, you think the 35 year old yes man new manager of a team, on the day he is announced, walked into his new boss’s office, and said as my first order of business, I’d like to cut (insert name)? Comical.
The optics aren’t good? The team has to re-instate all players on the 60 day-IL before the league year ends (which I believe is the end of the World Series). The Cardinals let go of their worst player on their 40-man roster (Miller) to accomplish this. Nothing to do with the new manager at all…it’s amazing what people with think of!
This
Ok
I’m shocked this guy has lasted as long as he has. He must be one of those players with great raw stuff but he can’t translate that into performance. Over his 6+ years in MLB, he’s probably had the equivalent of 2 full seasons of average to slightly above average performance. The rest have all been well below. At best he gets a minor league offer this season.
Below average play is still good enough to be a major leaguer. You need 40-50 guys during a season and some of them are going to be well below average. His career ERA+ of 97 would suggest he is good enough to be on a major league roster.
Miller has e been designated for assignment. The assignment is to learn how to strike people out more often.
Maybe Miller just looked at Molina wrong.
Talked bad about his framing
People, there’s nothing shady about this move. Miller is not young; he’s a mediocre bullpen arm who’s bounced between several organizations. He’s arbitration eligible and not worth anything but a Minor League deal. Was a certain non-tender. He’s being cut early to clear roster space. No drama.
This is the business of baseball, period! Yes, baseball is a business, and a lucrative one at that. Miller was a temporary add at best. Yes, he gave the Cardinals some game, and he got a salary for doing what he was supposed to. No big loss here. Let’s keep trimming the dead wood, and replace it with better quality as the off season progresses. Don’t think too deeply about it all just yet!
Marmol’s plan blew up in his face. Miller will still lurk in AAA. I predict a Machiavellian type return in May. I see philosophical differences already brewing so Ron Washington may still get his shot after the World Series.
I fill like like there has been a Justin Miller pitching in the mlb for forever.. evermore
Good move, see what Hicks has left
enjoy retirement Justin….see you in Cooperstown.