Andrew Miller woke up to his phone ringing Sunday morning. It was New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman informing him that he’d been traded to the Indians, which also meant moving his entire life to a new city.
It wasn’t a gentle way to wake up in the morning.
“I was shocked,” Miller said Monday in Cleveland. “It was 8 o’clock in the morning. But I think ultimately when everything settled in, I knew I was coming to a good place, a good team. That’s exciting. That’s where you want to be.”
Miller, an All-Star relief pitcher who’s under club control through the 2018 season, now bolsters the back-end of the Indians bullpen, which supports the American League’s top starting rotation.
“They have it going pretty good here,” Miller said. “Hopefully I can just contribute and make us even better. Ultimately, this is a good team. The starting rotation gets a ton of credit and deservedly so but the lineup is great. I know coming here and facing them on the other side was not a lot of fun.”
The remaining question was if Miller or Cody Allen would take on closing duties. Allen has been telling the club he’s willing to pitch in any role that’s needed. Miller echoed that sentiment on Monday.
“I’ll be a bullpen pitcher. Other than that, I don’t really know,” Miller said. “Wherever Tito asks me to pitch, I’ll pitch. I’ve been pretty consistent with the Yankees and hopefully that has shown. I’m going to be the same way here. However I can help the team and if we win games, that’s what is important.”
Francona didn’t name a starter on Monday, instead indicating that both could be used at different times, depending on the situation and opposing lineup.
“It’s really not that different. It’s not really rocket science, either,” Francona said. “The whole idea is to, when you have the game on the line, leverage situations, you want to use guys in the right spots. … We’re going to leverage those guys the best we can. And they’re all on board. They want to pitch. They know they’re going to pitch with the lead or when the game’s tied at home. And it’ll be fun.”
Outfield addition
The Indians made a second move ahead of Monday’s 4 p.m. non-waiver trade deadline, acquiring Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Brandon Guyer from the Tampa Bay Rays for prospects Nathan Lukes and Jhonleider Salinas.
Guyer wasn’t one of the higher-priced names being thrown around in rumors around the deadline but fills a need in the Indians’ outfield as a right-handed bat who pummels left-handed pitching. He’s also under club control through the 2018 season as he goes through arbitration.
Guyer, who can play all three outfield positions, is hitting just .241 this season but against left-handed pitchers, he’s hitting .344 with a 1.082 OPS. He’ll be able to be paired with left-handed outfielders Lonnie Chisenhall and Tyler Naquin.
“Brandon fits our team really well, as a right-handed-hitting outfielder,” Indians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said. “He can play all three spots. He's been really effective against left-handed pitching. He's a great baserunner, a good defender, a great teammate. He's a really gritty player that plays the game the right way. So, we feel like he'll complement our group really well.”
In a corresponding move, the Indians on Monday designated veteran third baseman Juan Uribe for assignment. Uribe was a well-liked member of the clubhouse but his play recently took a turn for the worse, as his batting average dipped to .206 with little power and he struggled defensively.
“He’s a great guy, as everybody that has been around him knows,” said manager Terry Francona. “It was becoming increasingly hard to play him because he was having a tough time. And when he wasn’t playing, it’s not like he’s a guy that can really help off the bench a ton. So again, it wasn’t a fun thing to do because of how fond we are of him, but I think baseball-wise, it was the right thing to do.”
The move opens the door for Jose Ramirez, who’s been among the club’s better hitters while in a utility role, to find a more permanent home at third base for the time being.
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Andrew Miller shocked, excited by deal; Indians acquire Rays OF Brandon Guyer, DFA Juan Uribe
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