The Yankees got a great haul for dealing Andrew Miller to the Indians in 2016 and that’s exactly how Brian Cashman should leave things.
There’s no question the Yankees are going to sign some bullpen reinforcements this winter, but a reunion with Andrew Miller is something Brian Cashman and company should avoid. Signing a 33-year-old reliever coming off his worst season since 2011 should be a non-starter for the organization.
Unfortunately, it looks like the Yankees at least have some cursory interest in the left-handed reliever. The team reportedly is interested in bringing Miller back to the Bronx, in part, because of his reputation as a “good clubhouse presence.” Of course, they also hope he can throw the ball as well as he did during his first stint with the team.
Patellar tendonitis plagued Miller during his 2018 campaign in Cleveland. He only threw 34 innings for the Tribe and his stuff was nowhere close to dominant. Miller scuffled through the season and finished with an ERA of 4.24. He wasn’t a total disaster out on the mound, but he didn’t give the Indians the sort of production they desperately needed late in games.
There’s certainly a chance Miller will bounce back and return to being a devastating reliever next season. If he were interested in taking a one-year contract with the Yankees to reestablish his value it would be an excellent signing. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Miller and his representatives are looking for a multi-year contract that will pay him like an elite, late-inning option.
That’s they the Yankees should focus their energy elsewhere. Specifically, Cashman would be better served to bring Zach Britton back into the fold. He wasn’t consistent down the stretch last year, but he showed flashes of potential dominance. On the whole, his season in New York was much better than what Miller provided Cleveland.
The Yankees should be content with gaining Justus Sheffield and Clint Frazier from their decision to part with Miller back in 2016. The organization should not replicate the plan they used to bring Aroldis Chapman back to the team with Miller. They need to let another team make a big, multi-year bet on his ability to return to his top form in 2019.