Cardinals urged to reunite with All-Star reliever after trade deadline fire sale

Cardinals urged to reunite with All-Star reliever after trade deadline fire sale originally appeared on The Sporting News

The St. Louis Cardinals sold three of their relievers at the 2025 trade deadline, including franchise icon Ryan Helsley. While the two-time All-Star expressed his interest in returning in the offseason, the Cardinals could still look to bolster their bullpen aside from his potential return.

For Sports Illustrated writer Curt Bishop, one of the ways that the Cardinals can improve their bullpen in the offseason is by reuniting with a former All-Star reliever, Shelby Miller, who has been around the league during his 13-year big league career.

"This coming offseason," Bishop writes, "right-hander Shelby Miller will be a free agent. St. Louis will need a high-leverage reliever or two to boost its bullpen with Helsley, Matz, and Maton gone. Perhaps St. Louis could reunite with Miller on a cheap, short-term deal."

Fortunately for the Cardinals, the soon-to-be 35-year-old reliever is making just $1 million in 2025. Miller began his big league career with the Cardinals in 2012, and after leaving following the 2014 season, he's spent time with nine different organizations.

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Across his big league career, Miller has a 4.02 ERA. But, since the 2023 season, Miller has a 2.93 ERA in 125 games and 135 innings pitched. His 146 ERA+ in this time shows how good he's been, with the veteran reliever proving to be a solid option in his mid-30s.

In 2015, he was an All-Star with the Arizona Diamondbacks with a 3.02 ERA, while also leading the majors in losses with 17 that season. A decade later, he's back in Arizona, pitching to the tune of a 1.98 ERA in 37 appearances.

Adding a veteran reliever like Miller for cheap would be a great way to replenish the depleted bullpen after a trade deadline fire sale. While JoJo Romero has the closer role in Helsley's absence, more depth in the bullpen is needed.

Miller, who would be entering his age-35 season and his 14th year in the Majors overall, would be a solid option. Bishop believes that St. Louis should sign the journeyman reliever, bringing him back to where his career began in 2012.

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