A two-time MLB All-Star and one of the best relievers of the 2010s is hanging up his cleats for the last time.
Andrew Miller, most recently a reliever for the St. Louis Cardinals but more well-known for his brilliance for the Cleveland Guardians (previously Indians) in 2016 and 2017, is retiring.
The 6-foot-7 left-hander had a turbulent start to his professional career before finding his footing in Boston in 2012. Three years later he truly blossomed playing for the Yankees, recording 36 saves and 100 strikeouts with a 2.04 ERA.
Two years later in Cleveland, Miller became a bonafide star.
Miller was the most dominant reliever of the 2016 postseason and one of the best of the decade that year. He was so good he took home the ALCS MVP.. as a reliever. He changed baseball and opened the eyes to how relievers could be used, specifically during the postseason.
“Playoff baseball is the greatest place to be and there is no better feeling in the world than having success on that stage,” Miller wrote in a text this week, via the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “I feel very fortunate that my career worked out the way that it did. Of course there were tough stretches, injuries, and times of doubt. I also won’t deny that I can find myself in moments of wondering what if this or that had happened differently, could it have somehow been better? I’m usually pretty quick to be able to step back though and see how lucky I have been. The hard times were necessary for me to grow and to be able to appreciate the highs along the way. Ultimately, I was able to play for many great franchises, wear historic uniforms, and play in some amazing ballparks.
“I made some of the best friends I will ever have in life through the game,” he added. “I was able to work with the union and see the good it can do for players while learning so much about the game.”
He helped change how relievers are used in postseason. This offseason, he helped union change how young players are paid.
After 16 years in the majors (and the past three months at the negotiating table), Andrew Miller tells Post-Dispatch he’s retiring.https://t.co/sPGorSc9Xz
— Derrick S. Goold (@dgoold) March 24, 2022
Miller spent the last three years with the Cardinals. He posted a 4.75 ERA with 40 strikeouts in his final MLB season.
St. Louis, meanwhile, begins the 2022 season on April 7 vs. the Pittsburgh Pirates.
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