MLB Trade Rumors: Detroit Tigers were interested in Andrew Miller

The MLB trade deadline is nearly here, and that means MLB Trade Rumors aplenty. The Tigers have been linked to a number of players recently, and were reportedly interested in Andrew Miller.

Andrew Miller began his career with the Detroit, before moving south to the Marlins along with Cameron Maybin and Burke Badenhop, among others, in the lopsided Miguel Cabrera trade.

The former Yankees reliever would have, like Maybin, become teammates with the player he was traded for—that is if a deal had gone through.

There is obvious appeal with Miller, who has developed into one of the game’s elite relievers. Since the start of the 2013 season, the former Tiger has pitched to a 1.98 ERA in 200 innings. Over that same span, he’s also racked up 46 saves and 328 strikeouts.

However, the reliever won’t be joining the Tigers, he’ll be joining division-leading Cleveland. New York sent Miller to Detroit’s division rivals for four players, headlined by consensus top outfield prospect Clint Frazier. That’s certainly a heavy price to pay for a reliever, even for one as good as Miller.

According to Fox Sports’ Jon Morosi, who passed along a television report from Fox Sports Detroit’s Jon Keating, the Tigers asked about Miller. Morosi tweeted, “Report from @JohnKeatingFSD just now on @FoxSportsDet: #Tigers inquired to #Yankees about Miller. Ask was Fulmer, Matt Boyd, Joe Jimenez.”

If a four-player package centered around Frazier is a heavy price, what the Yankees asked from the Tigers blows it out of the water.

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Michael Fulmer is already pitching like the ace he’ll eventually develop into. The former Met farmhand has pitched to a 2.50 ERA in 16 starts. In those outings, the right-hander owns a 9-2 record and has struck out 84 batters. His WAR stat sits at a sparkling 3.7.

While Matt Boyd hasn’t been nearly as dominant as Fulmer, he’s shown that he has the potential to develop into a mid-rotation starter. The Washington native has posted a 4.71 ERA, a 4.55 FIP and a 4.18 SIERA in 49.2 innings pitched. What’s more, he has also struck out a solid eight batters per nine innings.

Rounding out the group is Joe Jimenez, who has been nothing short of dominant in the minor leagues. In 38.1 innings split between Lakeland, Erie and Toledo, the flame-throwing reliever has struck out 63 of the 144 batters he’s faced. That’s good for 14.8 strikeouts per nine innings.

Jimenez also has pitched to a 1.17 ERA and has racked up more saves (23) than total hits (17) and runs allowed (five) combined.

Next: Tigers Linked to Starting Pitchers

It’s probably safe to say the Tigers made the right move in not dealing the trio to the Yankees.