Rays Trade Brad Miller To Brewers For Ji-Man Choi
By Mark Polishuk | June 11, 2018 at 2:13pm CDT
June 11: Tampa Bay is covering $2.209MM of the remaining $2.709MM remaining on Miller's contract through season's end, according to the Associated Press. Choi's split contract calls for an $850K salary in the Majors and a $250K salary in the minors, and he'd be owed about $513K through season's end if he were to spend the rest of the year in the Majors. That doesn't seem likely to be the case, so the Rays will save a bit of money while paying Choi at his minor league rate of pay, though the overall cost-savings in the deal look to be more or less negligible, even for a cost-conscious club like Tampa Bay.
June 10: The Rays have dealt infielder Brad Miller to the Brewers for first baseman Ji-Man Choi, as announced by both teams on Twitter. Tampa will also send some cash to Milwaukee as part of the deal. Miller and Choi have each been optioned to Triple-A with their respective new organizations.
Miller was designated for assignment earlier this week, though he had hit respectably well (.256/.322/.429 with five homers) over 174 plate appearances for the Rays this season. Beyond those decent batting numbers, however, Miller brought little else to the table — he has continued his career-long struggles against left-handed pitching, and has posted below-average defensive numbers wherever he has played around the diamond. Miller is also coming off a rough 2017 campaign, so it could be that the Rays sought to sell as high as they could on him while he was still productive, in order to get at least some of his $2.79MM in remaining salary off the books.
[Updated Brewers and Rays depth charts at Roster Resource]
Though Miller doesn't bring much defensive value as a shortstop or second baseman, he can at least offer the Brew Crew some extra pop at both middle infield positions. Jonathan Villar hasn't done much against righty pitching over the last couple of years, while defensively-gifted shortstop Orlando Arcia is suffering through a dreadful year at the plate. Miller and Arcia could form a platoon, with Arcia stepping in as a late-game defensive replacement on days when Miller starts, plus the Brewers also have veteran Eric Sogard in the bench mix.
Middle infield was a weak spot for a Brewers team that is fighting for a postseason berth, and the low-cost addition of Miller could mean that the club won't seek out more substantial second base or shortstop help at the trade deadline. Miller also adds a bit more depth to the roster at first base and in the corner outfield positions, though Milwaukee is already pretty set at those spots.
Choi signed a minor league deal with the Brewers last offseason that guaranteed him $850K if he reached the majors, so he'll only add another $510K or so to Tampa's payroll. The 27-year-old hit .233/.281/.500 over 32 plate appearances for the Crew, getting some time at first base with Eric Thames and Ryan Braun hit the disabled list. (Just yesterday, in fact, Choi hit a pinch-hit grand slam in Milwaukee's 12-3 rout of the Phillies.) The 27-year-old will essentially replace Miller as a left-handed hitting option in the Rays organization, though the team is currently giving top prospect Jake Bauers (another lefty bat) a chance to stick in the big leagues as a regular first baseman.
Brad Miller Ji-Man Choi Milwaukee Brewers Newsstand Tampa Bay Rays Transactions
AL East Notes: Adames, Araujo, Drury
Cardinals Select Daniel Poncedeleon
xabial
Blockbuster trades starting early this year? ;) excited
em650r
How is this blockbuster? If it was two years ago with Miller it would have been a lopsided trade.
thesheriffisnear
Just a hunch, but I'm pretty sure he was being sarcastic
itslonelyatthetrop
It's a blockbuster for Tampa.
Lol Tampa Bay and Miami need to relocate
ThatBallwasBryzzoed
They really. Marlins should have never been approved for a new stadium. They've never sold out. They've never had more than 15k fans show up.
The Rays are the one that needed a new stadium. Move them to Las Vegas and move the Marlins to Montreal.
Phillies2017
Love this for the Rays
ray_derek
What!?! Why would Milwaukee do that??
jorge78
Exactly? Why?
The Brewers middle infielders have been useless so far. Sogard started today.
Because he plays 1st base… and with Thames and Aguilar also playing that position. Choi became expendable
neonkeon23
That doesn't answer anything. They're getting Brad Miller, lmao….
brewcrew08
He's hit .250 in 48 games this year and can play 1B, 2B and SS. What exactly do you expect to get for Choi?
Nothing, they both suck, why take Miller, he was about to be cut and hit barely .200 last year. Just stupid
HailRodgers12
Because Choi reportedly wanted to be traded if he wasn't going to be on the big league roster. Now Thames is coming back, so there's no room for him at all, and the ss position has been a total black hole offensively for the brewers this season. Kinda sad that .250 is a considerable upgrade, but Arcia is hovering around the Mendoza line, and Sogard WISHES he could be that productive..
As a cubs fan, I hope Miller plays a lot of SS for the Brewers.
He hit .201 last year you're right. He also hit 30 HR in 2016. He's a career .240 hitter with decent pop. You can't have all stars at every position. He's at least a guy who isn't a sure out like sogard.
He will probably platoon with Arcia or Perez, and be subbed for late in games. Arcia is the only viable option defensively right now, and nobody is hitting. I'll take his .250 with a little pop, as long as he's not a complete butcher at ss for 7 innings a game.
Blue_Painted_Dreams_LA
Well I mean he's a complete butcher. It's not realistic to even think he sees time at SS. He might see time at 2b, but unless you're assuming advanced metrics can position him perfectly yeah it's not to realistic, bc he's a butcher.
twentyforty
The Brewers don't have all stars at every position….far from it.
I never said the brewers had all stars at every position. I said you can't have all stars at every position. It's not realistic. Learn to read.
Jake Jacobs
I'm hoping Miller will eventually come up and take Sogard's spot. Saladino needs to be given a shot too, once he's healed. Perez has been useless so far and Sogard's 15 minutes came and went last year. Hated losing Choi, but he wasn't going to see any action in Milwaukee with Thames and Aguilar ahead of him. Hope he tears it up in Tampa Bay
stansfield123
Isn't it odd that Miller can still be optioned to triple A, in his sixth year as a major leaguer? How does that work?
Brewers shortstops have hit .196 with a 43 wRC+ this season, while Brewers second basemen have hit .239 with a 72 wRC+.
Miller is a huge upgrade over those numbers, offensively. Even if they only use him as an offensive replacement, it justifies having him on the roster.
formerdraftpick
Love Thames for producing the Benny Hill show all those years. Yakety Sax!
Thames is coming back. Where do you play Choi? Miller can at least play middle infield where the brewers have really struggled this year.
You guys are awfully high on Choi who is hitting .233 in 30 at bats this year lol
Solaris601
I'll posit the obligatory "Small sample! Small sample!" :P
I'll give you that lol. There's a reason he's been with 3 different teams by age 26 and in 170 career at bats his hitting .190 though
bucketbrew35
He hit a pinch hit grandslam yesterday. Also produced off of the bench vs the Phils pretty well during the entire series.
So we should hold on to him for 3 games? Miller has at least proved he can produce in multiple big league seasons.
deweybelongsinthehall
So the Brew Crew traded high…Seriously, I like Brad Miller in short bursts. Defensively if needed at first, he looked real good this year. The problem was his bat as a first baseman.
Unless the Brewers believe Aguilar is the real deal and that they can deal Thames, Miller doesn't do much for them. Miller's really a 1B who you can hold your breath and put at MI in a pinch.
I wouldn't be surprised if they end up releasing Miller around the AS break.
Sogard, Perez, Arcia. 3 reasons why Miller makes sense short term. Maybe saladino comes back and plays well, but that's no sure thing either. At least there's options with Miller. Choi was a 1 trick pony, and he wanted a trade anyway.
This makes complete sense.
Mark, in the analysis could you include Miller's defensive stats and his splits vs right and left handed pitching?
Russianblue
Ji man is a he man!
Kudos to the Rays who actually got something for Miller instead of DFAing him and just eating the contract. Choi won't give them much more production than Miller did, but oh the price is nice.
Can't really comment on the price until you see how much the rays are sending to Milwaukee.
If it's $1.37, it works for the Brewers. Miller is better than Sogard.
Johhos
They could have done this before he hit the slam against the Phils? …oh wait, that wouldn't changed the result ….
osfandan
Too bad the Brewers don't have a guy like Gennett…
Bitter Brewers fans downvotes lol
rmullig2
Why didn't the Brewers trade for Walker instead? I know he has about 4M left this year but he is at least a capable everyday player at multiple positions.
Miller has been better than walker this year.
rols1026
That's exactly what Miller is lol
davidcoonce74
Neil Walker? He can stand around at second and third but he's not any good there. I'm interested to see what CHoi might do with a bit of regular playing time.
Ully
Miller in Miller park, this sounds like Ueker had a say in this trade.
I hear Scooter is available, too bad they already dumped him once.
Careful Brew fans gonna downvote ya…
Brewers didn't dump Gennett, he wanted out. Now he's playing for his hometown team, and has already said he doesn't want to be traded. Those are facts.
My opinion is, even if he was open to a trade, Milwaukee wouldn't be high on his list of preferred destinations.
mackows2
Brewers chose Villar over Gennett, they dumped him. An arbitration platoon 2B doesnt get released because he wants out, thats just silly.
Yes, they chose villar..to be the 2b. They asked gennett to become a utility player, and he then asked for his release, because he didn't want to do that. Funny thing is, he had no issue with the idea..once he was picked up by the Reds. You say "dumped" I say "granted his request for release because he was a baby who insisted he somehow had proven (then) to be an everyday 2nd baseman and made it very clear he preferred to play for Cincinnati than play at all for Milwaukee."
Gobbysteiner
funny. If you guys had just believed in in him one More year you'd have an all star on your hands. Now you've got a black hole.
A. Hindsight.
B. Villar is doing fine this year.
C. Again, Gennett didn't want to be in Milwaukee. He grew up in Cincinnati, and wanted to play there.
Mbutler88
You're an absolute idiot. The brewers dumped gennett and offered villar a long term deal. Which he turned down. Because just like you, he's an idiot. The reds CLAIMED GENNETT. You idiot. He didn't choose to go there. Other teams had a chance to grab him and had they done so he would have played there.
Still doesn't change the fact that gennett is the one who wanted out-of Milwaukee, NOT Milwaukee just deciding one day "hey, let's be idiots and dump a guy who isn't very good (which, by the way at that time, he wasn't) in favor of someone else who is worse (which was false at the time, but let's not let ANY facts get in the way of our revised history) just for laughs."
I'm curious though, since you clearly have all the answers, how many teams had a chance to CLAIM HIM before the Reds did so? And how many of them wanted a 2b who had already refused to play another position and wasn't very good at that one?
georgemckeever
probably just a safety valve in case Jake Bauers fails.
sufferfortribe
Are people supposed to get excited about this?
Jack Taddy
AAAA player for AAAA player? No don't think so.
bradthebluefish
A quality player for a nobody in order to save some money. When will the Rays start trading for talent instead of cash savings?
Wilson Ramos is earning his salary, but he's next simply because he's making too much money. Valuable trade chip, but something tells me TB will sell low to whoever takes the rest of his 2018 salary. Rays are in the process of a very lowkey fire sale.
As soon as a new home is found.
u flicking brewers couldn't u do that after Friday's game , really. and braun are u on peds every fricking time u visit philly u lying piece of crap. you will always be a cheater. all of your stats don't count.you are a ped bum just like aroid enough venting
Another Colangelo burner account??
ballnglove
The Crew should paint Citizens Bank Park all around Miller Park so Braun can't tell the difference. I think his average went up 50 points this weekend.
BTW, you sound a little bitter.
That was painfully hard to read. Thanks.
Is Steve Cox busy? Might just give A-Gone a call at this point. Need as much first base help as possible.
whereslou
It seems like Tampa likes players that have been in the Seattle system at one time or another. We have a AA pitcher and an A ball OFer we will give you for Archer. They have a lot of upside.
I forget the details exactly, but I think Tampa and Seattle know each others farm systems pretty well because of past trades and thus they have a familiarity in those players. It becomes a safer bet to deal for those you have previously done homework on.
Even if Choi was putting up Mike Trout type numbers the Rays would still stash him in the minors for the rest of the year since they'll save about $300K doing so. Cut that team salary to the bare bones, baby!
bobtillman
What's really funny is that now the Rays are paying…(a) 6M to Daniel Hudson to pitch for the Dodgers…(b) 4.5M to Alex Colome to pitch for the M's , and (c) 3M to Brad Miller to play for the Brewers……
And NEXT year they'll be paying Longo to play for the Giants…….
weird team, them Rays……
Yea seems like a major league type situation lol. Just want to be so incompetent so they can move. I was shocked when it came out that they gave the Giants nearly 20 mil for longos salary.
Rays are succeeding in making the Marlins' operation seem like a well oiled machine, but they still have a ways to go to eclipse the ineptitude of BAL.
It's actually painful to watch Duquette and Buck go down in flames because of the owner, who probably isn't a bad guy, but the brain cells have been dying off……… Ya, they're at the point where they need a total rebuild….gonna be a few years…..
Move Tampa to Montreal they are a joke. They average about 11,000 a night unless the Yankees or Red Sox are in town. The stadium is a joke along with the team. And I'm sure anyone who makes more than the peanut vendor gets traded.