Yankees Sign Left-Handed Pitcher Andrew Miller

The New York Yankees today announced they have signed left-handed pitcher Andrew Miller to a four-year Major League contract, extending through the 2018 season.

Miller, 29, went 5-5 with a 2.02 ERA (62.1IP, 33H, 14ER, 17BB, 103K, 3HR) and one save in 73 relief appearances with Boston and Baltimore during the 2014 season, allowing a .153 opponents' batting average (33-for-216), .229 on-base percentage and .456 on-base plus slugging percentage. He was similarly effective against left-handed hitters (.163 BA, 15-for-92, 2HR, .206 OBP, .467 OPS) and right-handed hitters (.145 BA, 18-for-124, 1HR, .245 OBP, .446 OPS).

Miller's 2014 ratio of 14.87 strikeouts per 9.0 innings pitched was second in the Majors (min: 10.0IP), and his 0.80 WHIP was fourth among pitchers with at least 60.0 innings pitched. His 2014 strikeout total, ERA, WHIP, strikeouts per 9.0IP, hits per 9.0IP (4.76), opponents' batting average and opponents' OBP all represented career bests.

The six-foot, seven-inch left-hander began the 2014 season with the Red Sox, going 3-5 with a 2.34 ERA (42.1IP, 25H, 11ER, 13BB, 69K, 2HR) in 50 games. After being acquired by the Orioles on July 31 for minor league left-handed pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez, Miller went 2-0 with a 1.35 ERA (20.0IP, 8H, 3ER, 4BB, 34K, 1HR) and one save in 23 appearances. In 7.1 scoreless postseason innings with Baltimore, Miller did not record a decision while allowing just three of 24 batters faced to reach safely (1H, 1BB, 8K, 1HP, .045 opp. BA, .125 opp. OBP).

Since becoming a full-time reliever in 2012, Miller is 9-9 with a 2.57 ERA (133.1IP, 86H, 38ER, 54BB, 202K, 9HR, .181 opp. BA) in 163 appearances. Among relievers with at least 100.0IP over the three-year stretch, his ratio of 13.64 strikeouts per 9.0IP ranks third in the Majors and his 5.81 hits per 9.0IP is fifth. Over his career, he is 10-11 with a 3.38 ERA (167.2IP, 119H, 63ER, 87BB, 235K, 12HR, .197 opp. BA) and one save in 193 relief appearances.

A native of Gainesville, Fla., and originally drafted by the Detroit Tigers with the sixth overall pick in the 2006 First-Year Player Draft, Miller is 30-38 with a 4.91 ERA (492.2IP, 500H, 269ER, 269BB, 490K) in 259 career games (66 starts) over nine Major League seasons with Detroit (2006-07), Florida (2008-10), Boston (2011-14) and Baltimore (2014).