San Francisco Giants Place Former Cardinal On IL

Alexander signed with the Colorado Rockies during the offseason, and the altitude did not treat him well. He held a 6.06 ERA (7.01 FIP) in 16 1/3 innings with the Rockies, and was designated for assignment at the end of May. The Giants signed him to a minor-league deal on June 10, and in 5 1/3 innings of work, he held a 13.50 ERA, giving up 12 hits and walking a pair with Triple-A Sacramento.

Miller made his MLB debut last year and held a 3.88 ERA in 73 games, which was enough for San Francisco to roll with just one left-hander in the bullpen to begin the season. The southpaw hasn't disappointed either, holding a 1.50 ERA in 30 innings of work, though his strikeout rate is way down, sitting at just 17.2% after it hovered around 30% last season.

Miller's walk rate has also ticked up a bit, going from 13.4% to 15.6% this season, which has helped lead to a 3.92 FIP. That's still not a bad mark, and the results have been there for him, but the underlying metrics appear to be suggesting that he could be in for a bit of a regression when he comes back.

There has been no timetable provided for when he may return, but an elbow sprain is a little worrisome. Without Miller, the Giants bullpen, which leads all of baseball in ERA at 2.97, may take a little bit of a hit. If he's set to miss an extended period, the Giants could add another key left-hander ahead of the deadline, and be ready to roll.

They could also look for another bat to add to the lineup in the coming weeks, which would help offset Miller's departure, while also giving the Giants something they'll need in order to make a push towards the postseason.

At 48-42, the Giants are eight back of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West, while also being tied with the San Diego Padres and St. Louis Cardinals for he third Wild Card spot in the NL.