Yankees Midseason Report Card: Bullpen

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Jun 30, 2016; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees relief pitcher Andrew Miller (48) pitches against the Texas Rangers during the eighth inning at Yankee Stadium. Yankees won 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports /

Andrew Miller

Andrew Miller has been a top-five reliever in baseball by almost any measure in the first half of 2016. Among qualified MLB relievers he ranks second in strikeouts per nine (16.20), fourth in walks per nine (1.23), fourth in fWAR (1.4), and first in xFIP (1.01) coming into Tuesday’s action. His otherworldly 13.2 K/BB ratio is the best in baseball.

By all accounts a great teammate and all around terrific guy, Miller defused any controversy by surrendering his ninth inning role gracefully and without complaint when Aroldis Chapman returned from his suspension. He has seemed unaffected by the trade rumors that have surrounded him since this winter, taking them in stride and acknowledging that it is part of being a professional ball player.

Either as a trade chip or a potential building block, Andrew Miller is one of the most valuable commodities the club has at the moment. His $9 million salary looks like a complete bargain at this point, and at just 31 years old he comes with two more seasons of team control.

Sadly, despite the Yankees recent assurances to Miller that he’s not on the trading block, it seems like a strong possibility that this may be his last month in pinstripes. While teams were not willing to meet the Yankees reportedly high asking price over the winter, the Giants, Nationals, Cubs, Dodgers, and Rangers have all recently been connected to Miller, and it looks like he will be one of the most discussed names at the deadline.

Midseason Grade: A+

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