Indians get Andrew Miller, but lose out on Jonathan Lucroy
The Cleveland Indians got a very mixed bag of trade news on Sunday morning.
Just hours after it was learned that they’d acquired Andrew Miller from the Yankees, it was revealed that catcher Jonathan Lucroy had vetoed a trade to Cleveland because they refused to give up his 2017 option.
Sources: Jonathan Lucroy wanted Indians to rip up 2017 club option to get him to waive no-trade clause. Understandably, Cleveland said no.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 31, 2016
USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported that Lucroy’s starting job would have been in jeopardy in 2017, as the Indians like Yan Gomes a lot.
That shouldn’t take away from the acquisition of Miller, though. While it cost Cleveland two of their three best prospects in Clint Frazier and Justus Sheffield, it really shores up their bullpen and puts them in better position to contend. It’s a trade that may come back to bite them in the future, but if they win a title in 2016, it will matter a lot less. Miller helps in that regard, though they would have been clear AL favorites had they landed Lucroy, too.
As for the Yankees, they are now full-scale sellers. It seemed likely they’d keep Miller, but it may well be that a pair of losses to the Tampa Bay Rays in the last two days changed their thinking. Expect Carlos Beltran to be at least one name who follows Miller out the door.
