MLBA hires retired left-hander in special assistant role

Andrew Miller.

The Major League Baseball Players Association announced Monday that retired left-hander Andrew Miller has been hired by the union to a new role with the title of special assistant, strategic initiatives.

“Throughout his playing career, Andrew Miller was respected across the game for his commitment, his leadership and his ability to connect with his peers regardless of age, service time or position,” MLBPA executive director Tony Clark said in a press release from the union. “We expect his experience and range of skills to translate well to this new role as he brings his own unique perspective to the Players Association.”

Miller, 39, had a 16-year career in the big leagues, beginning as a starter. His results there weren’t amazing, but a move to the bullpen suited him well, and he spent about a decade as a dominant reliever. He threw 395 innings as a starter with a 5.70 earned run average but had a tidy 2.95 ERA in 504 relief innings.

During that career, he became active with the MLBPA. He was a member of the union’s executive subcommittee during the 2021-22 lockout, even though he would announce his retirement just two weeks after a new collective bargaining agreement was reached. Shortly thereafter, he explained his involvement to the PA’s Jerry Crasnick.

“I got lucky in the sense that I got elected to be the team rep in Miami. Once that happens, you start to meet people and make connections and see the inner workings and appreciate how important the union is — what they can do for players even on things a lot of people probably think of as minor issues. They mean a lot to the individual player, and to be able to help guys through that helped me understand that side of the game. Once you get invested and get to know the people, it’s almost like a second team that you’re a part of.”

Miller was with the Marlins from 2008 to 2010 and he played through the 2021 season. Monday's announcement from the PA indeed highlights that he spent more than a decade in active leadership roles with the union.

The league and the union are likely to butt heads again when the current CBA expires after the 2026 campaign. The most recent offseason saw many clubs reduce spending while pointing to lower TV revenues as the RSN model collapses. This was seemingly a factor in many free agents lingering on the open market well into the new year and eventually settling for deals below projections.

The frustration appeared to boil over into some union discord, though things have appeared to be settled for the past few months. Commissioner Rob Manfred has said he doesn’t plan to seek another term after his contract expires in January of 2029. Manfred has expressed a desire to pivot away from the RSN past into a streaming future and get the ball rolling on expansion before he leaves, so there should be plenty for Miller and the union to discuss with the league as the next CBA eventually comes into focus.

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