Cardinals, Andrew Miller sign 2-year deal reportedly worth $25M

The St. Louis Cardinals signed former All-Star reliever Andrew Miller to a two-year deal, the team announced Friday.

The deal is reportedly worth $25 million, and includes a $12-million vesting option for 2021 that will be triggered if Miller appears in 110 total games over the next two seasons, a source told Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. If he doesn't reach that mark, his contract will be bought out for $2.5 million. Miller can earn another $500,000 in incentives based on his games pitched, according to Rosenthal.

The southpaw also reportedly received a full no-trade clause.

"One of our stated goals this offseason was to improve our bullpen," Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said. "Andrew Miller is one of the premier relievers in the major leagues."

Miller was held to 34 innings last season due to knee, hamstring, and shoulder ailments. In 37 appearances with the Cleveland Indians, the fireman authored a 4.24 ERA and 1.38 WHIP.

It was an uncharacteristic campaign for the 33-year-old reliever, who logged more than 60 frames out of the bullpen each season from 2014-17. Miller posted a 1.72 ERA and 0.79 WHIP during that span in 261 innings across 260 appearances.

"I've never been a healthy, contributing member to a World Series team," Miller said, according to Ben Frederickson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "That's the Holy Grail. That's the box I want to check."

He added: "I want to win. It's not always the ninth-inning guy who saves the day."

Miller joins the back end of a Cardinals bullpen that includes hard-throwing 22-year-old Jordan Hicks.

He's coming off of a four-year, $36-million contract originally signed with the Yankees. New York traded Miller to the Indians in a blockbuster 2016 deadline deal that sent prospects Clint Frazier and Justus Sheffield to the Bronx.

For his career, Miller owns a 3.98 ERA and 3.49 FIP dating back to his days as a starter with the Detroit Tigers and Miami Marlins. Since converting full time to relief in 2012 with Boston, Miller's recorded 51 saves and authored a 2.01 ERA and 2.10 FIP while striking out nearly 12 batters per nine innings.

The Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, and New York Yankees were previously rumored to be interested in Miller.

To make room for Miller on the 40-man roster, the Cardinals designated right-hander Ryan Meisinger for assignment.