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Rangers Place Glenn Otto, Mitch Garver On COVID IL

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The Rangers announced a series of roster moves today, with right-hander Glenn Otto and catcher Mitch Garver heading to the COVID-related injured list. Infielder Andy Ibanez was also optioned to Triple-A. Brad Miller has been reinstated from the injured list to take one of the open roster spots, while right-handers Tyson Miller and Jesus Tinoco have been added as “replacement players”.

The Rangers now have three players on the COVID list, as Brett Martin was sent there a few days ago. The timing is particularly unfortunate for the Rangers, as Otto was scheduled to start tonight’s contest. Instead, Matt Bush will be taking the ball in what will be an emergency bullpen game.

It’s unclear if the players have tested positive or instead have landed on the shelf due to a close contact or the presence of symptoms. Without a positive test, there’s no minimum stay on the IL. But in the case of a positive test, MLB’s 2022 health regulations stipulate a 10-day absence, though a pair of negative PCR tests and approval from a trio of medical professionals (team doctor, league-appointed doctor, MLBPA-appointed doctor) can override that 10-day requirement. The club is starting a stretch of playing ten days in a row, meaning they may need to think about Otto’s next turn through the rotation as well.

The fact that Miller and Tinoco have been announced as “replacement players” is significant. Under the 2022 health and safety protocols, commissioner Rob Manfred has sole discretion to decide whether a team’s COVID situation is significant enough to warrant such a designation. It seems that he has done so in this case. That means that Miller and Tinoco can be removed from the team’s 40-man roster at a later date without being subject to waivers.

For Garver, this will be another speed bump in a season that has had a couple of them. After going on the injured list due to a flexor strain, he returned in late May but was acting exclusively as a designated hitter or pinch hitter. It was reported a couple of weeks ago that, due to the injury limited Garver’s throwing ability, the club intended to continue putting his bat in the lineup but didn’t plan on letting him resume catching duties anytime soon, possibly for the entire season. Now on the IL, he won’t even be able to take on that limited role for the time being.

Rangers Promote Josh Smith, Place Brad Miller On IL, Designate Albert Abreu

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The Rangers announced a series of moves today, including the news that infielder Josh Smith and outfielder Zach Reks have been called up from Triple-A.  This will be the Major League debut for Smith, a second-round pick (for the Yankees) in the 2019 draft.  To create roster space, Texas placed Brad Miller on the injured list and designated right-hander Albert Abreu for assignment.

Smith was one of the players acquired from New York in the Joey Gallo trade last July, and both MLB Pipeline (#7) and Baseball America (#9) rank Smith within the top 10 of all Rangers prospects.  The LSU has done nothing but hit during his young pro career, resulting in a quick rise up the minor league ladder.  Smith made his debut at the Triple-A level this season, and has hit .273/.382/.422 over 191 PA for Round Rock.

Smith has strong command of the strike zone for such a young player, as evidenced by his .420 OBP over 683 total PA in the minors.  As noted by Baseball America’s scouting report, Smith “did an excellent job working counts to get pitches to drive, then punished balls from gap to gap.  He rarely chases, and when he swings at pitches in the zone he almost never misses.”  He has yet to develop true power, though Smith does make lots of hard contact and could be more of an extra-bases type hitter.  Smith is also a threat on the basepaths, with 40 steals in 52 career chances.

Originally drafted as a shortstop, Smith has basically split time between shortstop, third base, and center field this year, owing to the presence of Corey Seager in the Rangers’ everyday lineup.  Both BA and Pipeline observe that scouts weren’t entirely sold on Smith’s long-term viability as a shortstop anyway, and it remains to be seen what his ideal defensive position will be, if the Rangers don’t instead use him as a multi-position type of weapon.

For now, Smith will probably see much of his time at third base, essentially taking Miller’s spot as a left-handed hitting third base option alongside Andy Ibanez.  Miller’s IL placement didn’t come with a designation, so it could be related to COVID-19, though Miller also left yesterday’s game due to tightness in his right hip.

Abreu came to Texas in another trade with the Yankees, the April swap that saw catcher Jose Trevino head to the Bronx.  A former top-100 pitching prospect, Abreu has been plagued by a lack of control, and these problems again manifested themselves during his brief stint with the Rangers.  While Abreu managed a 3.12 ERA over 8 2/3 relief innings this season, he had more walks (12) than strikeouts (9).  The DFA doesn’t necessarily mean that the Rangers are giving up on Abreu, but since he is out of minor league options, the Rangers had to designate the righty and risk losing him on waivers before outrighting him to Triple-A.

Blue Jays Continue To Pursue Left-Handed Hitting

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The Blue Jays have one of baseball’s most dangerous lineups, though their projected starting nine tilts heavily to the right side.  Cavan Biggio is the only left-handed hitter set to receive everyday action in Toronto’s lineup, and even Santiago Espinal is expected to spell Biggio when southpaws are on the mound.  With this in mind, the Jays continue to look into left-handed hitters, with Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi writing that the club has shown interest in Michael Conforto, Joc Pederson, Brad Miller, and former Jay Corey Dickerson.

While Davidi reports that the Jays “had offers in” on the latter three names, Dickerson joined the Cardinals on a one-year/$5MM deal, Pederson went with the Giants’ one-year/$6MM offer, and Miller received $10MM over a two-year deal with the Rangers.  These players all projected for platoon or part-time duty, whereas Conforto would seemingly both be in line for more of an everyday role, and at a significantly higher cost.

Such clubs as the Rockies, Marlins, Yankees, and Padres have also been linked to Conforto’s market this winter, though Colorado could be off the board after signing Kris Bryant, while the Marlins have addressed their outfield needs with Jorge Soler and Avisail Garcia.  Signing Conforto would cost a draft pick since he turned down the Mets’ qualifying offer, and it does remain to be seen exactly what kind of deal Conforto will land as Opening Day nears.  His market could improve as other outfielders get signed, though in the wake of Conforto’s average 2021 season, teams may still balk at committing significant money.

A multi-year contract with opt-out clauses could be an option, similar to the deal just signed by another Scott Boras client — new Twins shortstop Carlos Correa.  Or, the Jays could offer Conforto a straight one-year contract worth $18.4MM (the cost of the qualifying offer), in a move similar to how Toronto landed Marcus Semien last winter.  Like Semien, Conforto could see the one-year deal as a bridge to a bigger contract the following offseason, assuming that Conforto returns to his past form.

Signing Conforto would cost the Blue Jays $500K of international spending money and their second-highest pick in the 2022 draft, which would be their second-round selection.  However, since the Blue Jays will be getting two extra compensatory picks just prior to the third round (since Semien and Robbie Ray rejected QOs and signed elsewhere this winter), the Jays could feel they have the draft depth to rationalize signing Conforto.

The amount of interest Toronto has in Conforto isn’t known, as Davidi acknowledges that the Jays could just be making a routine check-in on a notable unsigned free agent.  Since the Jays don’t have a set DH, Teoscar Hernandez, George Springer, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., and Conforto could all see regular work in the DH spot and the starting outfield spots, with Randal Grichuk getting fill-in duty as the situation warrants.

Of course, switch-hitting Guardians star Jose Ramirez continues to be a Blue Jays target, and would represent another left-handed option to balance out the lineup in a major fashion.  It remains to be seen if the Jays and Guardians can finally agree on a trade package or if Cleveland will even end up moving Ramirez whatsoever, though Davidi reports that a Guardians scout was recently seen taking video of Alejandro Kirk.  Since the Guards are thin at catcher now and don’t have a true catcher of the future lined up (depending on Bo Naylor’s future position), Kirk would be a logical candidate to be included as part of a potential Ramirez trade package.

Rangers Sign Brad Miller To Two-Year Deal

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March 17: Miller has been signed to a two-year contract, the Rangers announced Thursday. It’s a $10MM guarantee for Miller that’ll pay him $6MM in 2022 and $4MM in 2023, tweets Chris Halicke of Sports Illustrated.

March 15: The Rangers have reached an agreement with free agent infielder Brad Miller tweets MLB Drops. The financial terms of this deal have not yet been reported.

The 32-year-old Miller is coming off a decent season with the Phillies, as he batted .227/.321/.453 (107 OPS+) with 20 home runs  in 337 plate appearances in 2021. Additionally, Miller lined up at both outfield corners and every infield position besides shortstop last season. Defensive metrics have been bearish on his performance at most of those positions, though there’s little denying the utility of a bat-first player who can play five positions in a pinch.

<a rel=While Miller is coming off his third straight above average offensive campaign, his limitations are reflected in that modest plate appearances total. After seeing fuller playing time earlier in his career, the left-handed Miller has been platooned with greater frequency in recent years. The results bear that decision out, as the former-Phillie has a lifetime .610 OPS against left-handed pitchers but a solid .780 OPS when holding the platoon advantage. Last year’s splits were even more drastic, as those OPS numbers dipped and climbed to .538 and .842, respectively.

The signing makes ample sense for a Texas squad that has playing time up for grabs at third base and in the outfield. After losing top third base prospect Josh Jung for most of the season to shoulder surgery and parting with Isiah Kiner-Falefa in the deal that netted them Mitch Garver, the Rangers very quickly found themselves without a slam dunk starter at third base. That may well continue to be the case after this signing, as Miller has just 49 big league games at the position to his name.

Texas now seems primed to platoon Miller with some combination of its incumbent third base options, Andy Ibanez and Nick Solak, who have each shown demonstrably better against left-handed pitchers in their brief careers. Because of all three players’ ability to bounce around the field, manager Chris Woodward should have no trouble finding at-bats for the trio, barring future additions.

The addition of Brad Miller to a Rangers team coming off a 60-win season is the continuation of a busy winter for the front office braintrust of Jon Daniels and Chris Young. After a season in which the Rangers did very little competing, the young talent from last season’s team will now have to vie against their new veteran teammates for maximum reps. Given the pace of their offseason so far and the amount of players jockeying for a large role on an improved 2022 team, the Rangers’ truncated spring training camp figures to be one of the league’s most hotly contested sites in the coming weeks.

An Overlooked Lefty Slugger In Free Agency

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Much of fans’ time during the lockout is spent playing armchair general manager and looking at ways to address their teams’ perceived needs — whether it be blockbuster trades, free-agent mega-deals, or under-the-radar value plays. There’s probably more focus on those first two, but we’ve already taken pretty lengthy looks at the top free agents and the top trade candidates who could change hands throughout the offseason here at MLBTR. As such, my own focus has turned to some of the lesser-heralded free agents who probably deserve a bit more love than they’ve gotten to this point in the winter. In the case of Brad Miller, his lack of appreciation probably pre-dates the current offseason.

Brad Miller | Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Over the past three years, Miller has played on a one-year, $1MM deal in Cleveland, a one-year, $2.5MM deal in St. Louis and a one-year, $3.5MM deal in Philadelphia. Those three teams have guaranteed a combined $7MM to Miller and received 40 home runs through 718 plate appearances, with an overall batting line of .236/.331/.480. Obviously, the batting average isn’t ideal, but the leaguewide average during that time is .248 (or .251 excluding pitchers). Miller hasn’t been that much below par in terms of his batting average, and he’s above average in terms of on-base percentage and, particularly, in his power output.

This isn’t to say Miller should be lumped into the mix of most appealing free-agent bats available. He’ll play the coming season at age 32, making him older than the market’s high-profile names, and his skill set has obvious flaws. We’ll get those out of the way first.

Miller’s lefty bat has been a nonfactor against southpaw pitchers, evidenced by a .168/.230/.336 output over the past three seasons. He’s punched out in nearly 38% of his plate appearances when facing same-handed opponents. It’s not a new phenomenon, as Miller’s career numbers indicate, but his struggles against lefties have increased in recent years, even as his output against righties has improved.

Defensively, Miller is something of a man without a position. His days as a shortstop early in his big league career never yielded strong ratings from metrics like Defensive Runs Saved and Ultimate Zone Rating. More rudimentary marks like fielding percentage and his error totals agreed that Miller probably wasn’t well-suited as an everyday shortstop. That’s all the more true as he trends toward his mid-30s. Miller has seen plenty of action at first base, second base, third base and in the outfield corners over the past few seasons; his best statistical showings in those relatively small samples have come at second base and in left field. He’s not a premium defender anywhere, but Miller can capably handle those two spots and fill in as needed around the diamond.

Setting aside those noted deficiencies, there’s one thing thing Miller also does quite well: mash right-handed pitching. Over the past three years, Miller has hit .251/.352/.512 against right-handed pitchers — good for a 127 wRC+ that ranks 47th among the 321 hitters who’ve tallied at least 400 plate appearances (that is to say, he’s been about 27% better than the league-average hitter). At least against right-handed pitching, that wRC+ puts him alongside heavy-hitting names like Jose Ramirez (126), Carlos Correa (126) and Marcus Semien (129). Miller obviously isn’t as good overall as anyone in that trio, and it’s not realistic to shield him from left-handed opponents entirely over the course of a season. Nevertheless, the damage he offers against right-handed pitching is real.

The productivity when holding the platoon advantage doesn’t appear fluky in nature, either. Miller has walked in 12.9% of his plate appearances against a more defensible 26.3% strikeout rate. His .293 average on balls in play doesn’t scream for regression. A quarter of his fly-balls against righties have left the yard, which is a strong mark — 19th among that previous subset of 321 hitters, right alongside George Springer and Nelson Cruz — but not so lofty that one should expect it to come crashing back down in a major way.

Moreover, the general quality of Miller’s contact is excellent. His 2021 percentile ranks in average exit velocity (91st), max exit velocity (91st), hard-hit rate (84th) and barrel rate (80th) all stand out. He’s also above average in terms of sprint speed (62nd percentile) and in his ability to lay off pitches outside the strike zone (71st percentile both in 2021 and in 2020). Miller’s contact rate on pitches in the zone is a good bit shy of the league average (about five percentage points), but he’s not going to get himself out too often by flailing at pitches off the plate.

Miller’s flaws are easy to see, and again, the point of this certainly isn’t to suggest he will or should be paid along the same lines as Kyle Schwarber, who just put up a fireworks display for the ages when healthy in 2021. But Miller’s .251/.352/.512 slash against righties over the past three seasons is a whole lot closer to Schwarber’s .247/.348/.555 slash against righties in that same time than their eventual price tags will suggest, and Miller has actually been a much better hitter against righties than free agents like Joc Pederson and Eddie Rosario in recent seasons. Fans looking for left-handed bats might not have Miller high on their wishlist, but when used properly, his production is closer to some of the bigger names than most would expect. Whether the market will treat him as such this time around is yet to be determined, but the forthcoming addition of a universal designated hitter won’t hurt his stock.

Cardinals Interested In Colin Moran

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As part of a chat with readers this week, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the Cardinals have some interest in free agent first baseman Colin Moran. The 29-year-old hit the open market just before the lockout after the Pirates designated him for assignment in late November upon re-signing Yoshi Tsutsugo.

That served as akin to a non-tender, as Moran had been projected by MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz for a $4MM salary via arbitration. It seems unlikely he’ll land that amount in free agency. That’s particularly true in a post-lockout environment that might be unkind to free agents of Moran’s ilk, as it’s widely expected that there’ll be a hectic transactions spree as teams have a tight window to sort out their rosters before the start of the regular season.

Moran played almost exclusively at first base last season. The Cards obviously have Paul Goldschmidt locked in there, but it’s almost certain the next collective bargaining agreement will add a designated hitter to the National League. Most AL clubs have preferred to rotate bat-first regulars through the position to serve as quasi-rest days rather than devoting everyday DH duty to one player. Certain hitters (i.e. Nelson Cruz and Shohei Ohtani) have been so impactful offensively they’ve proven exceptions to that trend, although it’s likelier the Cards would eye Moran as a possible corner infield/DH rotation option than as an everyday player there.

Over the past four seasons, Moran has typically proven a capable but unexceptional hitter. He’s a .267/.329/.418 performer for his career, and he’s coming off a .258/.334/.390 mark over 359 plate appearances with the Bucs. That’s roughly a league average showing once one accounts for the extremely pitcher-friendly nature of PNC Park (by measure of wRC+) but it’s not the kind of impact offense teams would desire from an everyday DH.

While Moran played first last year, he does have plenty of prior experience at third base. Public metrics like Defensive Runs Saved and Statcast’s Outs Above Average panned his work at the hot corner, but a signing team could still view him as an emergency option at the position. Nolan Arenado is set to play third on a near everyday basis in St. Louis, but the front office could target Moran as a bat-first lefty complement to Arenado and Goldschmidt in the corner infield.

The Cardinals DH mix is understandably unsettled, with young players like Lars Nootbaar, Juan Yepez and perhaps top prospect Nolan Gorman set to factor into that mix. St. Louis also added bat-first utilityman Brendan Donovan to the 40-man roster to keep him from selection in the Rule 5 draft. Donovan is coming off an impressive high minors showing and could get an MLB look this year as well. There’s a chance one of those internal options proves worthy of regular playing time, but there’s enough uncertainty that it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Cardinals pursue an affordable veteran bat like Moran once transactions resume. Old friend Brad Miller fits a similar bill on paper, but Goold adds that the Cards haven’t pursued him this winter.

NL Notes: Wieck, Gomes, Dodgers, Phillies

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Brad Wieck has been limited to 59 2/3 innings over his four big league seasons, as the Cubs left-hander has been hampered by a series of concerning health problems.  After being treated for testicular cancer in 2019, Wieck has faced heart issues in each of the last two years — a cardiac ablation in 2020, and then surgery last year to address an atrial fibrillation.  “I’ve had to deal with a lot in my career, but it’s one more thing that’s made me who I am,” Wieck told Mark Gonzales of The Daily Herald.  “I take pride in what’s made me, and all I can do is continue to work.”

The good news is that Wieck was cleared for baseball activity, and said “as of now, I feel great” as he ramps up for the 2022 season with a series of bullpen sessions.  Despite a 14.1% walk rate last season, Wieck didn’t allow a single earned run over 17 innings of work, and the southpaw has an impressive 35.9% strikeout rate over his brief MLB career.  In a Cubs bullpen that is lacking in surefire options, Wieck certainly looks like a candidate to win a job, and perhaps serve as the Cubs’ top left-handed reliever.

More from around the National League….

  • Multiple teams have approached Brandon Gomes with interview requests over his five years with the Dodgers, but Gomes consistently turned down those other opportunities to remain in Los Angeles.  Speaking with Jack Harris of The L.A. Times and other reporters, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman noted that Gomes was being sought after for several different roles, and “there aren’t a lot of people that you can say that about, that really are qualified to do so many different things.”  This versatility will continue to apply to Gomes’ new position as the Dodgers’ general manager, as Friedman said that Gomes’ specific day-to-day duties will evolve and “we’ll figure out what makes the most sense at any given time.”
  • “Given their roster construction, no team wants the designated hitter in the National League in 2022 as much as the Phillies,” NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Corey Seidman writes.  The Phillies aren’t a strong defensive team, and they have several veterans who battled injuries in 2021 and could benefit from the partial off-day provided by a DH spot.  However, the universal DH might also lessen the chances of a reunion between the Phils and Brad Miller, as Miller will have even more job opportunities open to him in free agency should the 14 other NL teams all have need for extra position player depth.

East Notes: Yankees, Phillies, Rays

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The latest from the majors’ East divisions…

  • Yankees left-handed reliever Zack Britton’s arthroscopic elbow surgery on Monday went according to plan, manager Aaron Boone announced to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com and other reporters. Boone didn’t provide a timeline for when Britton could return, but it was initially reported that the Yankees might go three to four months without their integral setup man. Meanwhile, third baseman Miguel Andujar has “a muscle strain” in his right hand/wrist and “a bit of a nerve issue,” Marly Rivera of ESPN tweets. Again, though, there’s no official word on how long Andujar will have to sit out.
  • Phillies righty Spencer Howard didn’t make his scheduled outing Monday on account of back spasms, per manager Joe Girardi (via Matt Breen of the Philadelphia Inquirer). While the severity of the issue is unknown, it may make it even less likely for Howard to win a season-opening spot on the Phillies’ roster. Howard could eventually emerge as part of the solution in the Phillies’ rotation, but he only managed a 5.92 ERA/4.87 SIERA during his 24 1/3-inning major league debut last season.
  • Sticking with the Phillies, infielder/outfielder Brad Miller is dealing with an oblique strain, Matt Gelb of The Athletic relays. Girardi said the Phillies will re-evaluate Miller in five to six days, but the club has not ruled him out for Opening Day. Miller, who previously played with the Phillies in 2019, reunited with the team on a one-year, $3.5MM guarantee in the offseason. He earned that payday after slashing .232/.357/.451 with seven home runs in 171 plate appearances a Cardinal a season ago.
  • Rays outfielder Brett Phillips will miss three to four weeks with a Grade 1 left hamstring strain, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Phillips suffered the injury Sunday, and it now appears the 2020 playoff hero will sit out until at least the middle of April. However, the Rays still have Kevin Kiermaier, Randy Arozarena, Austin Meadows, Manuel Margot and Yoshi Tsutsugo available in the outfield.

Injury Notes: Grandal, Belt, Miller, Akiyama

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After suffering a twisted knee early in camp, Yasmani Grandal played in his first game of the spring today.  Grandal was in the White Sox lineup as a DH, and it isn’t yet known when he might return to his usual spot at catcher.  Grandal told reporters (including NBC Sports Chicago’s Vinnie Duber) that he is focused on his catching preparation, saying “right now, repetition behind the plate is probably No. 1.  I could (not) care less if I start off the season hitting or not.  I know the bat is going to come through at some point, and once that happens, then it’s a done deal.”

Given the length of time between now and Opening Day, it doesn’t seem like Grandal will require any sort of injured list trip to allow him another week to get fully ready.  With James McCann now signed with the Mets, Chicago’s backup catching options include the inexperienced Zack Collins and veteran Jonathan Lucroy (in camp on a minor league deal), and Grandal is expected to take more of the catching load in 2021.

More on some injury situations from around the league…

  • Brandon Belt’s readiness for the Giants’ opener is more of a question, as he got a late start on Spring Training and still hasn’t played in any games.  Belt told reporters (including Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle) that he spent several weeks recovering first from a positive COVID-19 diagnosis and then a case of mono almost immediately afterwards.  Beyond these twin illnesses, Belt’s readiness for Opening Day was already a bit up in the air due to his heel surgery from last October.  While Belt is a major contributor to the Giants’ offense, the team at least has quite a bit of first base depth — Darin Ruf, Wilmer Flores, Austin Slater, Tommy La Stella, or even Buster Posey — to fill the gap until Belt is ready to play.
  • Brad Miller was a late scratch from today’s Phillies lineup after suffering a ribcage injury during a running drill.  Manager Joe Girardi told NBC Sports’ Jim Salisbury and other reporters that Miller suffered a “tweak” and will get further testing done to determine the extent of the injury.  There certainly appears to be some concern that Miller has hurt his oblique, which would require at least a few weeks out of action and an IL stint.  After initially playing for the Phillies in 2019, Miller spent last season with the Cardinals before signing a one-year, $3.5MM deal this winter to return to Philadelphia.  The 31-year Miller brings both multi-positional value and a solid bat (.247/.343/.510 with 20 home runs over 341 plate appearances in 2019-20) to the roster, making him a difficult player to replace for the Phils if indeed Miller does end up on the IL.
  • Reds outfielder Shogo Akiyama left tonight’s game with a tight left hamstring and will be re-evaluated tomorrow.  In his first MLB season, Akiyama hit .245/.357/.297 in 183 PA, though he hit significantly better in September and October once he became more adjusted to Major League pitching.  Between this improved bat and some solid glovework, Akiyama was being counted on for at least a big part-time role in Cincinnati’s outfield, though those plans could be altered should his hamstring injury prove serious.

Phillies Sign Brad Miller

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12:22pm: Miller is guaranteed $3.5MM on the deal, tweets MLB Network’s Jon Heyman.

11:45am: The Phillies announced Wednesday that they’ve signed utilityman Brad Miller to a one-year, Major League contract. Right-hander Seranthony Dominguez, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery, has been transferred to the 60-day injured list to create space on the 40-man roster. MLB.com’s Jon Morosi reported last week that the Phillies and Miller, an ISE Baseball client, were in talks on a one-year deal in the $3MM range.

Brad Miller | Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

Miller, who is returning to the Phils after a year with the Cardinals, makes for a sensible upgrade for a thin bench. With Didi Gregorius back in the fold and Jean Segura expected to serve as the everyday option at second base, the 31-year-old Miller will join versatile Scott Kingery in backing up at a number of positions around the diamond. He probably won’t get much reserve time at shortstop and won’t see action in center — both spots Kingery can handle — but Miller could see time at second base, first base, third base and in the outfield corners.

Prior to re-signing Miller, the Phillies would’ve lacked infield depth on days that Kingery was roaming the outfield. Philadelphia acquired infield prospect C.J. Chatham — a former Dave Dombrowski draftee — from the Red Sox earlier this winter but have little on the 40-man roster behind him. Ronald Torreyes is in Spring Training as a non-roster invitee, but a couple of injuries could have left the Phillies reliant on a thin farm system that lacks MLB-ready infield talent.

Miller isn’t the plus defender that Kingery is, but he’s been a much better hitter of late and has a longer track record at the MLB level. In 171 plate appearances with the Cardinals in 2020, Miller slashed .232/.357/.451, and over the past three years combined he’s a .247/.329/.468 batter with 27 homers, 27 doubles and four triples. He’s strikeout-prone (29.1 percent in that time), which limits his batting average, but Miller draws plenty of walks (10.4 percent) and makes frequent hard contact.

The Cardinals used Miller as a designated hitter more often than anything else in 2020, although he played 15 games at third base and also appeared at shortstop and second base. He lined up most frequently in left field and at third base with the Phillies in 2019, but Miller has more than 1200 at second base and more than 600 at first base as well. He’s also logged 3000-plus innings at shortstop, so while he’s only their third- or fourth-best defensive option there, he can certainly handle the position in a pinch.

The Phillies, by all indications, are angling to stay beneath the $210MM luxury tax threshold, though adding Miller on a reasonable deal doesn’t really jeopardize that goal. Assuming that roughly $3MM price point proves correct, the Miller signing will push them to just under $202MM in luxury obligations, per Jason Martinez of Roster Resource.

That leaves the club with a bit of room for some in-season maneuvering, although if either of Brandon Kintzler or Tony Watson makes the club’s roster, that figure will climb further north. Both veteran relievers agreed to minor league deals that contain $3MM base salaries upon making the MLB roster. The Phillies formally announced Watson’s deal, which was reported earlier this morning, alongside their announcement of the Miller deal.

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