Brewers activate Shelby Miller from the injured list just over a week after acquiring him

Audio By Carbonatix

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Shelby Miller is ready to help Milwaukee in its playoff push just over a week after the Brewers acquired the veteran right-hander from the Arizona Diamondbacks at the trade deadline.

The NL Central-leading Brewers reinstated Miller from the injured list before their Friday night game with the New York Mets. Miller came to Milwaukee along with injured pitcher Jordan Montgomery for a player to be named or cash.

Miller joins a team that just completed a 6-0 trip and owns the best record in the major leagues.

“I live in Phoenix and stuff so that’s probably the hardest part,” Miller said before the Brewers defeated the Mets 3-2 on Friday for their seventh straight win. "But coming to a team like this that’s right now the best team in baseball and the way the Brewers are playing, to come into a clubhouse and be a part of it is something special. After you get the initial shock, I’m super excited to be here and contribute however I can.”

In other moves, the Brewers recalled pitcher Tobias Myers from Triple-A Nashville and placed pitcher Logan Henderson on the injured list with elbow inflammation. Henderson allowed one run over 4 1/3 innings Sunday in a 14-3 victory over the Washington Nationals, but he said he picked up the ball Monday and didn't feel like his normal self.

“The last few days, my elbow hasn’t been responding well, and it’s been more sore than normal,” said Henderson, who has gone 3-0 with a 1.78 ERA in five starts.

Brewers manager Pat Murphy said after Friday's game that Henderson's imaging results were encouraging.

“Better than expected,” Murphy said. “Doctors feel like it’s not anything with the UCL (ulnar collateral ligament). It’s a flexor strain, and he shouldn’t be out too long. ... It was all good news.”

Myers will start Saturday's game in place of Henderson. Myers has gone 1-1 with a 4.30 ERA in eight games with Milwaukee and 2-5 with a 3.77 ERA in 12 starts with Nashville this season.

Miller was recovering from a right forearm strain at the time of the trade and last pitched in the majors on July 5.

The 34-year-old Miller is 3-3 with a 1.98 ERA and 10 saves in 37 appearances this season. Miller said he has added more velocity to his fastball and brought back a sweeper that he hadn't included as part of his repertoire last year.

“I think just the stuff in general is better than it’s ever been,” Miller said.

This is the well-traveled Miller's second stint with the Brewers, but he never pitched a game the last time he was part of this organization. Miller signed a minor league deal with Milwaukee in 2020, but then decided to opt out of the pandemic-shortened season.

Looking back on that 2020 decision Friday, Miller said he didn't see a realistic path to reaching the big leagues that year and wanted to spend more time with his newborn son, Kyler.

“First time being a dad, so my heart was just kind of in that moment more than it was in baseball,” Miller said. “Now he loves coming to the field. It’s crazy how it comes full circle.”

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB