Report: Cubs have inquired about Braves pitcher Shelby Miller

By Rob Ogden

It’s no secret that the Cubs are interested in adding an arm this offseason, the only question that remains is whether they would prefer to do so through free agency or trade.

According to MLB insider Ken Rosenthal, Chicago has inquired about Atlanta starter Shelby Miller.

Despite leading the league in losses with 17, Miller, 25, is coming off his best season as a pro. He finished with a 3.02 ERA and 1.24 WHIP and was elected an All-Star.

The losses weren’t so much a fault of his own, but of Atlanta’s dismal offense.

In the middle of a rebuild, the Braves are open to moving Miller, and are looking for young bats in return, according to Rosenthal.

Per sources, #Cubs doing background work on a dozen or so starting pitchers. #Braves believed to want young position players for Miller.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 20, 2015

Rosenthal reported earlier this week that the Cubs are opening to trading youngsters Jorge Soler and/or Javiez Beaz for young pitching, so the Braves certainly feel like a potential fit.

Report: Cubs open to trading Jorge Soler, Javier Baez for pitchingAs expressed by ESPN’s Buster Olney, it only makes sense for Atlanta to move Miller now:

Since Miller’s name first emerged as a market option last week, the Dodgers and Giants each checked in to see how serious Atlanta is about moving the right-hander — and it would make a lot of sense for the Braves to move Miller now. The Braves are not going to contend for the NL East in 2016 or, in all likelihood, 2017, and Miller will be eligible for free agency after the 2018 season. He just turned 25 years old and will go through arbitration for the first time this winter, and his market value is very high, because he’s not going to cost a lot of money and he’s coming off a season in which he posted a 3.02 ERA for one of the worst teams in the majors. Atlanta should at least find out what it can get in return for him, and really, it would be best to move him now.

The Cubs have also been linked to White Sox starter Jeff Samardzija.