There was some confusion on Friday, when MLB reporter Mark Feinsand initially reported that the Chicago Cubs had designated veteran reliever Hoby Milner for assignment, but the follow-up cleared things up. The Cubs actually placed Milner on outright waivers, which doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re ready to get rid of the left-handed pitcher, as that would be a big mistake at this point in the season.
The update, which came after Cubs manager Craig Counsell said that Milner had not been designated for assignment, makes a lot more sense, considering that rosters do expand on Sept. 1. Once the calendar flips to September on Tuesday, the Cubs will have the ability to add another pitcher to the active roster.
So, Milner can be claimed by any of the other 29 MLB teams, and if he is, then that team would be responsible for paying the remainder of his salary. With a month left in the regular season, Milner is owed about $600,000 on his one-year, $3.75 million contract that he signed with the Cubs.
The left-handed reliever could go unclaimed, which would then allow the Cubs to retain him, make a different roster move, and then add him back to the active roster for the stretch run. The team is once again experiencing major issues in the bullpen, Friday being the latest disaster when a 3-2 lead entering the sixth inning became a 7-2 deficit after Trent Thornton had a blowup. The bullpen allowed a total of eight runs in four innings of work, leading to a 10-8 loss.
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Prior to landing on the injured list at the end of June, Milner was having a solid season, recording a 3.53 ERA in 35.2 innings.
The Cubs have had inconsistent results from left-handed relievers in 2026, with Ryan Rolison being a savior, while Caleb Thielbar has been one of the biggest disappointments on the pitching staff after his stellar 2025 campaign. So, seeing this recent trend in the bullpen, the Cubs need as many solid options as possible. Losing Milner, who has been pretty good all year, would be a blunder. Trying to keep roster flexibility is good, but not when you’re potentially sacrificing a better pitcher in the process.
We’ll see how things end up with Milner, who didn’t even get sidelined with a baseball injury. The 35-year-old had to get emergency surgery for appendicitis.
