Cubs to make play for former Yankees closer Miller?
The Chicago Cubs are determined to better the bullpen for the 2016 season. With Aroldis Chapman joining the New York Yankees in a trade with the Cincinnati Reds, the team could make a run at New York's now-former closer, Andrew Miller.
The Yankees could, however, hold on to Miller as a setup man giving them a prolific seventh, eighth and ninth inning set up during games much like the Kansas City Royals displayed in 2015. The Yankees have said they aren't trading him, but should New York make Miller available, the Cubs will likely be making a call for the lefty.
As the Yankees' closer last season after signing a four-year, $36 million contract in the offseason, Miller converted 36 of 38 save chances, striking out 100 batters in 60.2 innings. He had a 2.04 ERA and 0.86 WHIP to round out the lofty numbers.
The Cubs currently have righty Hector Rondon as their closer, but as a Joe Maddon-led team, Chicago will always be in the market to add to the bullpen as it is relied heavily on during the course of the season by the manager.
"There is always wear and tear in the pen," Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said on 670 The Score. "Joe has a good record managing the pen during the season and keeping them healthy. We want not one long reliever but a number of bullpen guys that potentially could go multiple innings. We aren't looking for mop-up guys but people who can be effective every time out."
With Epstein and GM Jed Hoyer still on the search of adding to the already-formable roster, the Cubs could use Jorge Soler or Javier Baez as trade bait. The Yankees are said to prefer adding to the starting rotation, but with an aging lineup featuring Alex Rodriguez, Carlos Beltran and Mark Teixeira, adding a big-time, young bat could be enticing enough to make the trade with Chicago.
