It was reported last night that the Cardinals and Andrew Miller were closing in on a deal. That deal appears now to have been struck: Ken Rosenthal reports that St. Louis has signed him to a two-year, $25 million deal with a vesting option for a third season at $12 million with a $2.5 million buyout. The option will vest if he pitches a total of 110 games over the next two seasons. He’ll also receive a full no-trade clause.
Miller, 33, was limited to 34 innings out of the bullpen last season due to hamstring and knee injuries, and those injuries contributed to him having his worst season since becoming a full-time reliever. He finished the year with a 4.24 ERA and a 45/16 K/BB ratio in 34 innings. When healthy, however, he has been one of the top relievers in all of baseball. Between 2014 and 2017 he posted a 1.72 ERA while striking out 14.5 batters per nine innings and walking 2.3 batters per nine innings.
Whether the Cardinals will make him their closer or, rather, treat him like a high-leverage fireman as the Indians and Yankees did, is up in the air. Either way, though, the Cardinals have a potentially devastating new weapon in their bullpen.