The Chicago Cubs had a disappointing end to their 2026 season.
As their season ended, along with the minor league season, a notable player elected free agency.
Six-year MLB veteran Owen Miller will get a head start on free agency as the MLB playoffs unfold after electing free agency, according to the MiLB.com transactions page.
The Cubs added Miller on a minor league deal over the winter, spending the majority of the season in Triple-A Iowa.
While he got a brief look in August, he appeared in just one game as a defensive replacement and did not have a plate appearance.
Who Is Chicago Cubs’ Owen Miller?
The San Diego Padres drafted Miller in the third round of the 2018 MLB Draft from Illinois State University.
The Padres traded Miller, along with Gabriel Arias, Joey Cantillo, Austin Hedges, Josh Naylor and Cal Quantrill to Cleveland for Greg Allen, Mike Clevinger and Matt Waldron in a blockbuster trade during the 2020 season.
Miller debuted with Cleveland in 2021 and had a disastrous season. In 202 plate appearances (60 games), Miller accumulated a -1.0 bWAR with a .204/.243/.309 slash line.
The next season, Miller played 130 games, slashing an improved .243/.301/.351 with six home runs.
After the 2022 season, Cleveland traded Miller to the Milwaukee Brewers for a player to be named later.
During the 2023 season, Miller would play 90 games, slashing .261/.303/.371 with Milwaukee, hitting five home runs. Miller would play just 14 games in 2024, slashing an ugly .185/.185/.222 before he was released.
He signed with the Colorado Rockies in 2025, but would play just nine games with them, recording two hits.
Miller can play all over the field, playing every position except for catcher and center field in his career.
Now just 29, Miller’s defensive versatility could get him a contract somewhere else this offseason. As evidenced, he has a poor bat but a great, versatile glove.
More On the Team’s Free Agents
The Cubs fell short of expectations. Things could get worse with a franchise-altering free agency. Shota Imanaga, Ian Happ, Seiya Suzuki, Kevin Gausman, Matthew Boyd, Carson Kelly, Clay Holmes, David Peterson and others could reach free agency this offseason.
That’s a lot of impact free agents. While some of these players have options or the ability to tender a qualifying offer, there’s just no way the Cubs retain all of these free agents. While the Cubs do have a lot of money to play with, they already have a lot on the books.
It would be logical to expect the Cubs to retain Gausman and Holmes. After all, they gave up part of the top of their farm system for these pitchers. However, Imanaga could be on his way out after a disappointing end to the season.
After 10 years as a Cub, Happ could also be on his way out, along with Suzuki. Whatever the case may be, the Cubs have a lot of important decisions to make this offseason with a lockout looming.
Cubs 6-Year MLB Veteran Gets Head Start on Free Agency