Rehab plan for Cubs’ Swanson up in the air, Miller shut down for the season

The longshot hopes of veteran right-hander Shelby Miller returning to bolster the Cubs’ postseason bullpen officially ended Tuesday.

Miller’s rehab has been shut down for the rest of the season, manager Craig Counsell said pregame, as the 35-year-old attempted to make it back from his second Tommy John surgery. Miller already blew past the projected timeline to return from his October 2025 procedure. The fact that Miller was even able to get close enough to force a conversation about his readiness is a testament to the work he put in.

Ultimately, time wasn’t on Miller’s side.

“Shelby did an incredible job getting back, and I think he’s had a successful month of September in terms of being healthy,” Counsell said. “At this point, the risk outweighs what reward there would be in keeping him going and pushing him to pitch in this environment is just a risk that we agreed together not to take. We’ve got a healthy player. We’ve got a player ready for spring training going into next season, and we’re excited about that, and so that’s where we’re going to leave it.”

Miller made 13 outings while on his rehab assignment, which started Aug. 9 and could have lasted as many as 60 days because of the type of arm injury he was returning from. One of the main hurdles Miller needed to overcome in the process was showing he could handle pitching on back-to-back days; he did that once, on Sept. 4 and 5, then needed four days to recover before his next appearance.

Miller hasn’t pitched in the majors since Sept. 1, 2025.

“He’s in a good spot, but he’s in a spot that you’re at after you’ve worked your butt to get there kind of thing,” Counsell said, “and so it’s time to stop and just give him a break.”

Among the other rehabbing pitchers, left-hander Justin Steele is scheduled to pitch Wednesday for Triple-A Iowa along with left-hander Riley Martin (left elbow). Right-hander Gavin Hollowell (right shoulder inflammation) was scheduled to pitch for Iowa on Tuesday, but their game in Omaha, Neb., was rained out. Steele, Hollowell and right-hander Tyler Ferguson could be in the mix down the stretch if there are further bullpen injuries. As for Martin, Counsell said, “finishing the season pitching and healthy is the primary goal.”

“We’re trying to improve the roster, right? But there’s also injuries, and we have to have people ready for the case of injuries too,” Counsell said. “So that’s why these guys are still going. We’re largely in injury mode right now, but there’s also 10 games left, and there’s a level of performance that’s expected as well.”

Tuesday’s canceled game in Omaha puts a hitch in the Cubs’ and Dansby Swanson’s plans for the shortstop’s impending return from an oblique strain.

Swanson had been slated for his rehab assignment to be Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s games with Iowa, then come off the injured list Friday in Cincinnati. The rainout alters those plans, particularly with Wednesday’s forecast in Omaha putting that game in question, too. The Iowa Cubs also play Thursday in Omaha, as does Double-A Knoxville, which has Game 2 of their postseason division series that day.

Another possibility, given the circumstances, could be Swanson gets activated from the IL on Friday without getting into a rehab game. As Counsell put it: There’s a chance for everything.

“We’re trying to figure out what to do, so we’ll just have to make a decision and go from there,” Counsell said. “The weather’s not cooperating.”