San Francisco Giants: Internal Interest in Andrew Miller

The San Francisco Giants are looking for bullpen help, and have interest in New York Yankees setup man Andrew Miller.

Coming into the 2016 season, the Yankees were highly lauded for the additions they made to bolster the back end of their bullpen, but the rest of the team has underachieved. Strong bullpen pitchers for the late innings are rendered practically useless if the team does not have late inning leads.

These failures of the team have put the Yankees in an odd position, 6.5 games out of first place in their division and 5.0 games back from a wild card spot. They are probably too far out at this point to compete for a playoff position, but not so far out that they should pack it in now. A lot can change in the next two months before the trade deadline, but at the moment it appears as though New York will be looking to unload some of their bigger names at the deadline. One of these pieces could be the Yankees primary setup man, Andrew Miller.

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Many teams will be interested in Miller if he becomes available because of the consistently good play he provides in the bullpen. Ken Rosenthal linked the San Francisco Giants to having interest in Andrew Miller, which would make a lot of sense. Given the Giants struggles in the bullpen thus far in 2016, a piece like Miller could make a huge difference as they push for the playoffs and beyond.

#SFGiants have discussed internally a run at #Yankees' Miller. Perfect fit, but would SF part with top pitching prospect such as Beede?
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) June 5, 2016

The Giants hold the second best record in Major League Baseball, but have one of the worst bullpens in league. Their bullpen ranks 18th in ERA, 25th in K%, and 13th in WHIP. Essentially, the bullpen isn’t strong and is probably the area the Giants need to improve most if they want to win their fourth World Series Championship since 2010.

Andrew Miller is intriguing for the Giants as he would provide them with a solid arm and much needed consistency in the ‘pen. Currently the Giants have Sergio Romo, Santiago Casilla, and Hunter Strickland as their top performers in the bullpen, with Romo currently being on the DL. Miller would immediately step in and be the best reliever on this staff.

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Miller could help propel the Giants in their push for a World Series Championship in a strong National League that includes the Cubs machine, but the Giants must also consider what he would cost. Miller’s contract is through 2018, so naturally it would require the Giants to give up more talent to go out and get him than any rental pitcher. Add in that the Yankees will also lose Aroldis Chapman at the end of the season, and it could become increasingly difficult for the Giants, or any team for that matter, to pry him away from the Yankees.

As Rosenthal mentioned above, the price may be Giants’ top pitching prospect Tyler Beede or perhaps even more than that. Beede is a 23 year old right handed pitcher who was drafted in the first round of the 2014 draft out of Vanderbilt. Beede is a pitcher with top of the rotation stuff, but he has struggled to command his pitches in the minor leagues. Although he is one of the Giants’ top prospects, it might be worth parting with him if it brings the Giants more than two years of Andrew Miller’s consistently tremendous play in the bullpen.

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Adding a strong and reliable reliever like Andrew Miller to their bullpen makes perfect sense for the Giants. It would require them to give up top level talent from the farm system, but they are clearly in win now mode. The addition of Andrew Miller could help the Giants lock down the NL West division and give them strength going into the postseason.

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