The Atlanta Braves could explore a trade of starting pitcher Shelby Miller this offseason.
The Atlanta Braves have been discussing starting pitcher Shelby Miller in trade talks with other teams, according to reports.
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported earlier this week that the Braves and Arizona Diamondbacks engaged in talks concerning Miller, but they did not proceed very far. Atlanta apparently wanted big league talent from the D’backs, such as outfielder A.J. Pollock.
ESPN’s Buster Olney chimed in yesterday, claiming that the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers also inquired about Miller’s availability.
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A trade involving Miller seems like a long shot for a variety of reasons. The 2015 campaign was his first with the Braves after coming over from the St. Louis Cardinals in last year’s Jason Heyward deal. He just turned 25 and still has three years of team control remaining.
Beyond that, the right-hander is coming off a very impressive debut performance in Atlanta, one in which he effectively looked like the club’s ace. He posted a 3.02 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 2.34 K/BB over 205.1 innings of work. His season highlight occurred on May 17, when he came within one out of no-hitting the Marlins. He had to settle for a complete game, two-hit shutout instead.
However, Miller endured pitiful run support from an anemic Braves squad that ended up losing 95 games on the year. His average of 2.64 runs of support per game was the lowest in the league, and saddled him with an MLB-high 17 losses during the campaign.
A relocation to a more competitive environment could help Miller’s star rise even more, and the Braves might figure that now is the best time to cash in on his value. There is also reason to think he could be due for some regression in the future. While Miller posted a sterling 2.38 ERA in the first half, earning him a spot on the NL All-Star team, it grew to 3.83 after the break.
His performance featured a notable home-road disparity as well. Miller pitched to a 2.43 ERA in 17 starts at Turner Field, while he put up a 3.67 mark in 16 outings as a visitor. He also finished the year with a 3.45 FIP, 0.43 points higher than his ERA.
Despite a few pause-inducing numbers, Miller is still a very appealing asset and one that many teams in league would surely like to acquire. The Braves have already exhibited their intention for a full-scale rebuild, sending starting shortstop Andrelton Simmons to the Angels a week ago.
That’s not to say the Braves will give Miller away for peanuts, though. Their supposed asking price of Pollock (.865 OPS this year) from the D’backs proves as much. If the Dodgers, Giants, or another team indeed wants him, they will have to put together a package that impresses Atlanta.
Los Angeles and San Francisco have been identified as clubs in search of starting pitching this offseason, and Miller would likely succeed in their pitcher-friendly home ballparks.
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The Braves will continue to be an intriguing team to watch this winter. While most of their key pieces could presumably be moved for the right price (see Simmons), GM John Coppolella has already declared first baseman Freddie Freeman untouchable. It should be interesting to see where Shelby Miller and others ultimately land on that spectrum.