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The Yankees and Indians have swung a blockbuster that will send lefty reliever Andrew Miller to Cleveland in exchange for prospects Clint Frazier, Justus Sheffield, Ben Heller and J.P. Feyereisen, as first reported by Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com.
After trading closer Aroldis Chapman to the Cubs, the Yankees were reportedly reluctant to move Miller, who isn’t eligible for free agency until after the 2018 season. However, the Yankees enter play Sunday 6.5 games behind the Blue Jays in the division and could continue to sell ahead of Monday’s deadline.
Miller has had another effective season, pitching to a 1.39 ERA and 1.77 FIP over 45.1 innings. He’s also recorded nine saves and will headline a strong Indians bullpen that’s pitched to a 3.58 ERA, which ranks fifth in the American League.
Cleveland’s starters have also thrived this season, pitching to the best ERA in the league.
Frazier was Cleveland’s top prospect, according to MLB.com. Over 89 games in Double-A, the 21-year old outfielder is batting .276/.356/.469 with 13 home runs and 48 RBIs. He’s also played five games in Triple-A this season.
Sheffield, Cleveland’s fifth-best prospect according to MLB.com, is having a solid season in High-A. Over 95.1 innings, he’s pitched to a 3.59 ERA.
Heller has pitched to a 2.49 ERA over 25.1 innings in Triple-A, and Feyereisen has pitched to a 2.23 ERA over 40.1 innings in Double-A.
It’s been an active 24 hours for the Indians, who late Saturday agreed to acquire catcher Jonathan Lucroy from the Brewers before Lucroy vetoed the deal over concerns about his club option for next season.
Cleveland enters play Sunday with a 4.5 game lead over the Tigers in the American League Central.