Houston Astros: 5 blockbusting free agency moves to make this offseason
By T.A. Mock
Andrew Miller, LHP
Andrew Miller was one of the hottest starting pitching prospects to hit the game when he was drafted. In fact, he made his MLB debut the same year he was drafted, 2006. However, he only made eight appearances that year all out of the bullpen and had his official rookie year in 2007 and it didn’t go super well but his stuff was still incredible.
After his rookie year, the Tigers traded him to the Marlins as a part of the deal that brought Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis to Detriot. In Miami, Miller’s struggles as a starter continued. He was eventually traded to Boston where his struggles continued and finally ended when they converted him to a reliever in 2012.
The rest, from there, is history. Miller immediately responded in 2012 as a reliever with his best season as a pro. He continued to build his resume and develop as a reliever where his dominance grew. The Red Sox flipped him to the Orioles in 2014 and that is where he really took off.
In 23 games with the Orioles, Miller transformed into the first “ace reliever” the Major Leagues have ever seen. His performance there was parlayed into a big deal with the Yankees who subsequently flipped him to the Indians.
light. More. An early look at who should/n't be kept in free agency
HIs 2016 and 2017 seasons were utterly historic. He had a 1.44 and 1.45 ERA, respectively, in both of those years and was baseball’s best reliever in that time, a spot previously occupied by closers but Miller was a guy that came in in any situation for his team. 2018 was injury-riddled and a down year but he started to regain his form towards the end.
The Houston Astros need Miller, plain and simple. They have a hole now that Tony Sipp is a free agent and why not fill it with a stud in Miller. Sure, he had a down year and this team killed him in the playoffs but Miller still has a lot of life in his arm and this postseason proved even the best bullpens need as many incredible arms as possible.
Another option: Kelvin Herrera
Kelvin Herrera is another stud reliever the Astros should kick the tires on. He’s had an up and down past few years but he is a dominant arm that is as equally effective against lefties as he is righties. Herrera would be a terrific addition.