Andrew Miller is the New York Yankees best weapon
$36 million over four-years is starting to look like a bargain for Andrew Miller‘s services. The New York Yankees won the bidding war for him in baseball’s offseason just as they do much of the time in free agency. Miller is not only the clubs x-factor, but he might be the biggest defensive difference maker amongst all five American League East ball clubs.
Save for the Tampa Bay Rays and Chris Archer, neither the Yankees, Blue Jays, Red Sox or Orioles have a legitimate ace on their pitching staff. Masahiro Tanaka gets some consideration of course, but his immediate future is so shrouded with health issues that a recent announcement of a trip to the disabled list does nothing to inspire confidence in the 26-year-old right-hander.
With few of the aforementioned teams boasting a true ace, we turn to the bullpen for results. Zach Britton is pretty steady in Baltimore. Koji Uehara is okay in Boston. Brad Boxberger is filling in nicely for Jake McGee in Tampa and Toronto is an utter mess between going back-and-forth to Miguel Castro or Brett Cecil.
When the Yankees have called upon Miller to close out ball games so far in 2015, he has done everything. When Dellin Betances is factored in in his setup role, New York might have the best eighth and ninth inning punch in all of baseball. The Kansas City Royals showed the baseball world last season just how valuable that can be.
Betances struggled in the spring so manager Joe Girardi held off on naming a closer to the media, but it was clear to many that Miller would get a chance to prove himself. With all of April nearly in the books, neither he or Betances has yet allowed a single earned run.
For as great as Betances has been (3-0, 13.5 K/9), Miller has been the New York Yankees most valuable weapon this young season. Miller’s yearly base salary from now through 2018 is set to be $9 million per season. Not bad at all, when one considers he is as much or more than all four of the higher paid closers ahead of him.
Joe Nathan was not sharp for the Tigers last year and at 40 will undergo a second Tommy John surgery, putting his career in question. Craig Kimbrel is adjusting to a new team and currently has a 5.19 ERA, plenty higher than his career mark of 1.45. Jonathan Papelbon and the man Miller is replacing in the Bronx, David Robertson, have both been lights out and are yet to blow a save or allow an earned run. But Miller already has as many saves as those two have combined. I’m just being picky here. In reality, any team would be fortunate to have a closer like Miller, Papelbon or Robertson on their roster.
What separates Miller from most other closers is his background. From 2007-11 he pitched mainly as a starter in MLB. His left arm has the muscle memory capable of stretching itself out for more than 20-25 pitches. Calling on Miller for more than a three out save has been standard protocol for Girardi this season. His second save of 2015 was of the five out variety, while in his third one he recorded four outs. In both instances Miller threw over 20 pitches, but allowed only a single base runner in one of those two appearances.
On Wednesday afternoon in the Bronx at Yankee Stadium, fans saw more of Miller’s versatility. Though New York went on to lose 3-2 to Tampa Bay in 13 innings, Miller delivered a 23 pitch outing that occupied the ninth and tenth innings of a tied ball game was tied. He was perfect with his effort, recording all six outs in order while striking out three.