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Cleveland Indians: Andrew Miller Might Have Blocked Trade if He Could Have

By Patrick K. Flowers Sr.

Oct 19, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Cleveland Indians relief pitcher Andrew Miller (24) pitches during the seventh inning against the Toronto Blue Jays in game five of the 2016 ALCS playoff baseball series at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 19, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Cleveland Indians relief pitcher Andrew Miller (24) pitches during the seventh inning against the Toronto Blue Jays in game five of the 2016 ALCS playoff baseball series at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports /
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Andrew Miller has been a key part of the Cleveland Indians postseason success. However, if he had his way, he would have remained in New York.

Around the time of this past Major League Baseball non-waiver trade deadline, the Cleveland Indians and the Milwaukee Brewers had a deal in place that would send veteran catcher Jonathan Lucroy to the Indians. Well Lucroy had other things in mind, mainly not playing in Cleveland, and he excised his no trade clause in his contract to veto the deal, and ultimately ended up accepting a trade to the Texas Rangers.

Luckily for the Indians, Andrew Miller did not share the same luxury as Jonathan Lucroy a short time later when he was dealt to the Indians from the New York Yankees. While the scenario has unfolded about as well as it possibly could have for the Indians since the deal, with Miller playing a crucial role in their World Series run, it very well may have never happened had Miller owned a no-trade clause in his contract.

So why would Miller have been tempted to block the trade and stay in New York? Andrew Miller discussed the move recently on the Dan Patrick Show, and here’s what Miller had to say about receiving the news from Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman,

"Brian Cashman [Yankees GM] called me at about eight o’clock in the morning, and we were actually playing Tampa [Bay] at the time, which is where I live so it was a chance to kind of sleep in my own bed, and enjoy home a little bit. My phone was ringing and I was kind of upset because I didn’t think that I had set my alarm that early, and I looked at the caller I.D. and it was Brian Cashman, and knowing the date I knew something was going on, I knew it was a possibility but you know that’s the game, very few guys actually get the luxury of a no-trade clause or any sort of leverage in these situations, you know I didn’t have any so that’s just the way it go’s."

When Miller was asked by Dan Patrick if in fact he would have used that no-trade clause if he had the option, here’s what Miller had to say,

"You know what, it’s a tough thing to say, I loved my teammates there [New York] and there was a certain comfort level there, I signed with the Yankees to be a part of that team for a lot of reasons, a big one was the fact that I has Spring Training at home in Tampa [Bay], I had three times a year we get to go play there, I really, like I said I loved my teammates and I think that team had a lot of promise, it was fun to play there, I like the city but you know what I think it’s hard to say. I think things happen for a reason, I’m going to the World Series because I got traded and if I had known that, I would have under no circumstance stopped it."

Here’s where Indians’ fans can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that Miller didn’t have a no-trade clause to block the move on July 31.

Ultimately Miller, the 2016 American League Championship MVP, had some genuinely understandable reasoning as to why he might have blocked the trade, had that been an option for him at the time.

Next: Deadline deals shaping 2016 postseason

Relax Indians fans, Miller is here to stay through the 2018 season at least, and will try to help lead the Indians to their first World Series Championship in 68 years this week when they take on the Chicago Cubs.

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