Cubs could finally be close to getting Wade Miley back

We saw just how light the Chicago Cubs are on starting pitching depth earlier this week when David Ross turned to reliever Scott Effross in an opener role after Drew Smyly hit the bereavement list. Thankfully, the team could be on the brink of finally being able to add a key offseason acquisition to the fold in veteran left-hander Wade Miley.

Thanks to some misdirection on the part of the Cubs front office, the team was able to pick up Miley after the Reds placed him on waivers – adding what they perceived to be a reliable veteran arm to the picture for 2022. Unfortunately, Miley dealt with elbow discomfort this spring and is yet to make his Chicago debut.

The club has been careful with Miley as he worked his way back from the injury – but he seems closer than ever to joining his Cubs teammates. The 35-year-old hurler will make a rehab start for Triple-A Iowa on Thursday, according to reports, meaning he could be back with the big league club in the next week or so.

Chicago, 3-7 in its last 10, desperately needs some form of reinforcements in the rotation. The Cubs carry the fourth-highest starting ERA in the Senior Circuit and have just three quality starts to their credit through the season’s first month.

Miley is coming off a 2021 season with Cincinnati in which he made 28 starts, working to a 3.97 FIP and 1.325 WHIP across 163 innings of work. Since reinventing himself heading into the 2018 campaign, he’s quietly been a very consistent arm, working to a 3.53 ERA with Milwaukee, Houston and the Reds.

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Last year, he ranked in the top quarter of the league in barrel rate against, chase rate and hard-hit rate – all despite finishing in the bottom two percent in fastball velocity. He’s really learned how to mix his cutter and change-up to keep hitters off-balance and it looks like soon, we’ll get our first glimpse of him on the mound for Chicago.