Cleveland Indians acquire Andrew Miller in trade with New York Yankees

Yankees acquired OF Clint Frazier, LHP Justus Sheffield and RHPs Ben Heller and J.P. Feyereisen from the Indians in exchange for LHP Andrew Miller. The chances that Miller would be traded went up after the Yankees traded closer Aroldis Chapman to the Cubs last week.

Miller’s 36 saves ranked third among all AL closers, and the 31-year-old’s 2.3 wins above replacement were the second-most among all AL relievers with at least 20 saves, per ESPN.com.

Whether he closes or sets up for current closer Cody Allen, Miller gives Francona a dominant option at the end of games, as well as a weapon from the left side on an overwhelmingly right-handed staff. Impending free agents Carlos Beltran and Ivan Nova are top candidates to move, while the future of 41-year-old part-time designated hitter Alex Rodriguez remains in question. “This organization never waves a white flag”, Girardi said.

The two moves made early Sunday set the Indians up for contention beyond just 2016. They are having nice seasons in the upper minors, but they are 24 and 23 respectively, and come with no real prospect pedigree. “And we are open to entertain all of it”.

Ken Rosental of FoxSports broke the news Sunday morning that Miller was headed to Cleveland for four propsects.

Antonetti anticipates the Indians remaining active through Monday’s 4 p.m. deadline.

After trading Miller, they made a 1 for 1 deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks, acquiring Tyler Clippard for Jose Vicente Campos, a 23 year old right handed starting pitcher now playing in AAA.

“We knew going in”, Antonetti said, “that it was going to be expensive and cause us to part with players that we honestly didn’t want to part with”. At that time, Miller was a struggling starter with a sky-high walk rate. Cashman explained how the “chessboard” has dramatically changed since he first started under Hal’s dad in the late 1980s, and with so many more restrictions, it’s no longer as simple as outmuscling everyone with the Yankees’ checkbook. “And although they may be tough decisions, the one thing the Yankees have always stood for and do stand for is the effort in trying to become a super team”. NY views Frazier, the fifth overall pick in the 2013 amateur draft, as a Mike Trout-type player. The No. 5 overall pick in the 2013 draft, Frazier is an outfielder hitting.273 in the minors this season with 13 homers in 362 at-bats. I think we’ve tried to be consistent with that and we talk about that all the time.

“An electric bat. His bat speed is already legendary”, Cashman said.

“He’s got all the tools”.