Cleveland Indians: Andrew Miller and a Bullpen with Options

The Cleveland Indians have a bullpen filled with several players who can be called upon at any point throughout a game.

The Cleveland Indians looked to be in the midst of a homestand hangover last night against the Oakland Athletics.

The Indians ultimately won the game 1-0, but it took a while for the offense to come alive. In contrast, the pitching was great.

Carlos Carrasco pitched eight shutout innings, only allowing four hits while striking out nine batters. This outing may signal him turning the corner and becoming a key figure in a potential postseason rotation, but an equally dominant performance was put on by Andrew Miller.

Miller came on in the ninth to serve as the closer, a role many have been calling for him to assume in a full-time role. After 13 pitches and some foolish attempts to hit the ball by three A’s batters, the game was over.

It was almost amusing to watch the A’s batters attempt to put the ball in play, and this outing is going to continue the calls for him to be the closer. But what some fail to realize is that there is no one player cemented into the closer role.

Cody Allen has been the closer throughout 2016, but Terry Francona made it clear when Miller arrived that the former Yankee will get his chances to pitch when he is the better option.

The hate toward Allen comes from the recency bias that goes along with him blowing a save and losing the game last Wednesday. He followed that up with a save Sunday, so there is no evidence that he has lost his abilities as a reliable closer. The fact he pitched Sunday likely contributed to Miller getting the nod Monday night. Miller also hadn’t pitched since last Thursday and needed some work.

Instead of calling for one to be the permanent closer over the other, the ability of both to come in and close a game should be appreciated. Few teams have two options at the closer role, let alone both a right and left-handed option.

With the emergence of Mike Clevinger as a reliable late-game reliever, Miller and Allen can be saved for the later innings when they can come and close out a game. At the same time, either can pitch in the seventh or eight inning if called upon because of their versatility and respective willingness to help the team in any way necessary.

Next: Carlos Carrasco's Strange August

The Miller acquisition should be seen less as a trade for a new closer and more for a trade that gives the Indians great depth in the bullpen. And after two saves in two days by two different players, that depth is showing as the playoff push continues.