With the Aug. 1 trade deadline drawing closer, the first-place Giants could make a major acquisition over the next couple months as they seek their fourth World Series title since 2010. One potential trade target they’ve discussed internally is Yankees left-handed reliever Andrew Miller, FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reports (Twitter link). Rosenthal wonders if San Francisco would be willing to part with its best pitching prospect, 23-year-old right-hander Tyler Beede, in order to land Miller.
Even if the Giants do pursue Miller, there’s obviously no guarantee the Yankees will deal the 31-year-old. Miller, after all, is still under their control at a reasonable $9MM per year through 2018, so they could keep him if they plan to contend in the near term. Contention could be out of the question this season, though, given that the Yankees haven’t consistently shown signs of life during their 25-29 start. They’re already seven games behind American League East-leading Boston and six games out of a Wild Card spot, and they lost first baseman Mark Teixeira on Friday to what could be a season-ending knee injury.
If the Yankees sell Miller, there’s a chance they’ll lose both him and fellow lights-out lefty Aroldis Chapman by the end of the year. Chapman, also a summer trade candidate, is slated to hit free agency after the season. That would bring a quick end to the Yankees’ much-ballyhooed Chapman-Miller-Dellin Betances trio and leave them with just one of the three going forward.
For the 35-22 Giants, who hold the second-best record in baseball, adding Miller would further strengthen a bullpen that already has a handful of impressive late-game options – even without the injured Sergio Romo. Giants relievers entered Saturday with a below-average 4.01 ERA and a replacement-level fWAR (0.0), good for the fourth-worst mark in the league, but closer Santiago Casilla (a pending free agent), Hunter Strickland, Cory Gearrin and Derek Law have performed well. Miller is vastly superior to each of them, though, and would offer variety as a southpaw.
Handedness aside, Miller has racked up videogamelike strikeout totals (16.62 per nine innings) while showing excellent control (1.25 BB/9), generating grounders 50 percent of the time and pitching to a 1.25 ERA over 21 2/3 innings this year. Dating back to 2012, his breakout season in relief with the Red Sox, Miller has put up a 2.28 ERA, 14.21 K/9, 3.20 BB/9 and 48.1 percent grounder rate in 216 2/3 frames. The 6-foot-7, 210-pounder has added to his value by showing the ability to dominate as either a closer or setup man.
There are likely to be many suitors for Miller if the Yankees make him available, so the Bombers’ asking price for him should be high. Whether the Giants are willing to move Beede for Miller is unknown – as is whether Beede would even appeal to New York – but it’s fair to say the reliever will command a quality return if the Yanks shop him.
They don’t have the prospects.
Yes, they do. Their willingness to give up their top prospects is another story though.
Their top pitching prospect is on 0 top 100 lists.
I don’t think they have the prospects to do it either. Beede isn’t even a top 100 prospect on any list I’ve seen. I would want at least one of those for Miller. So unless they give up that SS arroyo I think his name is I don’t think they have enough
Arroyo, lucious fox and beede all have a lot of value. I really don’t see the tanks moving Miller. Chapman sure, Miller no… This is the yanks, can garuntee they plan on competing next year.
You also have to look at that value and compare it to what other teams could offer if they are trading for Miller. When Miller becomes available there will be lots of teams bidding, and if you don’t have significant prospects its hard to win. Especially when you’re going up against teams that are loaded. I don’t see a match with the Giants.
I think a lot of that depends on who else becomes available. There’s two months to go, a lot can happen.
You might be underrating their system. They have a sleeper like Ray black no one on here has ever heard of. Now he has 0 control, but he almost literally strikes everyone out. He has 169 k’s in 88 2/3 minor league innings, that’s nuts and any team would want that arm and just hope he gets just the slightest command.
Most people have heard of Ray Black. He would be fun to go see if you’re going to a minor league baseball game but that is about it. You’re not a threat to major league hitters if you have zero control, they’re too good. He would be a throw in, doesn’t hold much value at all.
The Giants do not have the prospects to get him. It will cost not only Beade but also a guy like Duffy
They have in the past, Beltran for Wheeler
Every team has the prospects to get their guy, it just depends how much a team is willing to give up,
Not the Angels
The thing is, they have Trout, even though he isn’t a prospect
Has the trade deadline moved up one day? I thought it was July 31st..
Yep, it got moved to August 1st
Their shouldn’t be one.
A trade deadline? Yes there should.
Why? The only real reason is, because that’s what we’re used to
Basically it sets a solid market value. With 2 months left in the season there are a certain number of buyers, sellers, and those who will ride out the season. Given an extra month the number of buyers will usually stay the same but the number of sellers rise as the teams who were willing to accept what they had drop out. Thus the more supply the price drops.
The other thing is it allows for a certain amount of luck which is frankly part of the game. If you know your exact weaknesses the day before the playoffs then and you can fix it by trading your prospects then you’re more willing to take the risks
There should be a deadline, personally I believe it prevents teams from selling out when September comes around just to get a higher draft pick and with the fire sale, teams making playoff pushes would be stacked
It would be interesting for a World Series Team to make a Trade before World Series for an upgrade. Also if a Team is trying to get rid of a person but can’t clear Waivers and DFA won’t work.
There isn’t a trade deadline. After Aug 1, a player can be traded if they clear waivers. Also, a player has to be on the roster 1 Sept or they can’t play in the postseason…
Moved to the 1st this year due to the 31st being on a Sunday.
The Commissioner didn’t want the deadline on a Sunday this year.
Shocker! A team would have to part with a top prospect to get a good player. Where is chesterarthur at?
When the cubs don’t trade Gleyber Torres for Andrew Miller will you still post?
he would have to get the deal started plus Vogelbach since he is blocked by Rizzo. And then maybe Mckinney.
The cubs system is deeper than torres though. Happ, mckinney and some random arm like Paul Blackburn is a quality package and tough to match for most teams to match without decimating a farm system.
So the major downside for the Yankees in losing 2 of the 3 big relievers is that Dellin Betances becomes the closer. That doesn’t really seem like that big of a downside. It’s not like the Yankees can’t buy a good set up man or two for the $9MM per year they would save on Miller AND they would get both the return for Miller and a QO draft pick for Chapman.
Seeing the returns for Kimbrel and Giles in the offseason should make everyone want to trade relievers, because the market for them will never be hotter.
I think it cooled in a hurry after watching Giles: 1. Not win the closer job out of spring and 2. His shaky (to be polite) start to the year thus far. That package is paying dividends now and down the line. Kimbrel’s been good, but I feel his heart was set in Atlanta for a long time and just hasn’t mentally gotten completely over that, no matter what he says. Chapmam, being only 28, will most likely sign long term with New York. I could see LAD flexing their muscle, but I just think the Yankees have a bigger muscle if they truly want him.
The Cubs have a better chance to land him with how deep their farm system is
Except the Cubs don’t need him. From top to bottom they really do have the best 25 man team to win the WS. It makes them less likely to offer the best bid for such an powerful reliever.
Disagree. I agree that they have the best 25 to win the WS but I think this is where they should go for the throat. Go all in and get a guy like Miller because you never know what will happen in the coming years, or even later this year.
Yeah, and Miller is locked in for next 2 years. I’m all for a this trade. A) Miller has no problem being 8th inning guy. B) he has multiple years remaining. C) This only bolsters the team.
If Theo doesn’t bring it home this year, he’ll have some ‘splainin to do!
To who?
For what? He has already put together one of the best team in baseball
Yeah Damn him building a one year window! O wait he set up like a 15 year window, nvm then.
If the cubs offer torres and maybe Volgelbach plus Mckinney and a pitching prospect, that is more then enough to get Miller imo. better then the giants offer.
Torres is a top 50. Mckinney a top 100. If they offer that for andrew miller I will be absolutely furious with this front office.
I would be more inclined to see them offer Happ and CJ Edwards for Miller. I doubt Torres get’s involved.
Torres will only be involved for a top of the rotation type pitcher, which likely won’t happen until the offseason.
Cubs need a left-handed relief pitcher besides Woods. Clayton Richards is not the one. Woods is a long reliever and a starter if any of the starters get hurt. I don’t want to give up the farm system to land Miller though.
Wood*
Thanks for the correction
Good team has discussed obtaining (arguably) best reliever. Shocked.
Your redundant post amuses me.
I don’t think the Giants would give up a Beede, Bickford or Arroyo for Miller at this point anyway. It’s not as if they’re dying for LH relief help. They have other options both internal and external if the need arises. They also have more pressing issues like corner OF and back end starter.
I think talk of Miller to SF is just that — talk. I doubt there’s any discussions going on about it by the teams.
Why they should go for someone better
If the Giants get Miller, it makes sense.. Their bullpen is unreliable with Casilla blowing saves. Javier Lopez can’t get Lefties the way he can. Strickland it’s ready to close and Romo is injured. With Andrew Miller to the Giants, They get a better a closer, a lefty reliever for at least two more years of his contract instead of a rental like Chapman. MIller is 31 and Lopez is at 38. However, with all these good signs for the Giants, who to give up, Beede, Crick, Arroyo? Arroyo and Crick does make sense for a trade, but Yankees would want more. This story is just getting started with this news.