“There’s no guarantee the Athletics will trade their second-year closer this summer considering he doesn’t become a free agent until the 2029-30 offseason, but he’s a valuable asset on a roster that’s going to be strip-mined on a rolling basis,” Yomtov wrote on Twitter.
“One of the hardest throwers in baseball, the 26-year-old Miller wouldn’t supplant Clay Holmes (2.44 ERA, 19 saves) in the ninth inning this season, but such a trade could secure the Yankees a dominant reliever for the next half-decade.”
Miller has a 1.96 ERA, 0.79 WHIP, and 64 strikeouts over 36.2 innings (30 games) this season. The 26-year-old right-hander has completed 14 of 16 save opportunities this year and held opponents to a.132 batting average, which is especially noteworthy given that this is Miller’s first full season in the majors, having made his debut in April 2023 and appearing in only 10 games the previous season.
Yankee’s bullpen
As of June 30, the Yankees’ bullpen was rated 14th in MLB, with a collective ERA of 3.73, far lower than the team’s 5th-ranked starting rotation. Just over a month ago, on May 23, Jim Bowden of the Athletics wrote that the Yankees will likely want relief pitching before the trade deadline, and at the time, the bullpen was ranked second in MLB.
“The Yankees don’t have any glaring needs but more bullpen depth is always needed, especially in the last two months of the season,” says Bowden.
The bullpen’s recent troubles highlight the team’s need for depth, though the Yankees may benefit if reliever Scott Effross returns to the team soon. Effross missed the 2022 playoffs and the whole 2023 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery to repair a damaged UCL, and the Yankees revealed in February that he would be spending further time on the injured list after having back surgery in late 2023.
Finally, on June 26, the Yankees announced that Effross had been sent from Single-A Tampa to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for his rehab assignment. When questioned about the reliever’s return to the majors timeline, Yankees manager Aaron Boone told reporters that Effross “still has a ways to go” but will be available for the Yankee bullpen in the coming weeks, according to Sports Illustrated’s Julian Guilarte. Effross has not pitched in the majors since October 3, 2022, but after finishing the season with a 2.54 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 56.2 innings, there’s no doubt New York is eager to have him back.
Unfortunately, Effross is far from the Yankees’ sole reliever on the injured list right now. Lou Trivino is yet to make his 2024 debut since undergoing Tommy John surgery in May 2023. After three scoreless appearances this season, Jonathan Loáisiga had surgery in April to repair a ruptured UCL, ruling him out for the rest of 2024. Nick Burdi was placed on the injured list on May 24 due to hip irritation and is not anticipated to return until after the All-Star break at the earliest.
Even with Effross seeking to return to the mound and Burdi hoping to return for the second part of the season, the Yankees’ bullpen could use some depth, and Miller would be an excellent addition to closer Clay Holmes.
Will the Athletics make Miller available by the deadline?
As Yomtov stated on June 29, there is “no guarantee” that Miller will be available at this year’s trade deadline. The Athletics, now sitting fifth in the AL West with an uninspiring record of 30-55, are apparent sellers at this year’s deadline, but because Miller remains under club control until after the 2029 season, there is no rush for the team to trade him.
Nonetheless, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal wrote on May 9 that Oakland “will not rule out trading [Miller],” noting that his market worth “is extremely high.”
“If [Miller] goes, the return figures to be substantial, perhaps even staggering,” Rosenthal said. “The A’s otherwise need not bother.”
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