Kevin Millwood Opts To Leave The Yankees

Kevin Millwood had an opt-out clause in his contract that allowed him to leave the Yankees if not added to the MLB roster by May 1st, and he excercised it earlier today. Jack Curry was the first to break the news, which comes on the heels of an uninspiring stint at AAA for Millwood. Scouts had been critical of Millwood’s stuff since he first took the hill this spring, and he lasted just two innings while surrendering 6 runs in his last outing with the Yankees.

Millwood is likely hoping to catch on with another club and make a MLB roster, but unless he is retiring or the Yankees told him that he was not the next starter in line for a promotion, I think he made a mistake. He is likely deluding himself if he believes there is a club that will stick him in their rotation at this point, considering the lack of interest in his services last month and his weak AAA performance. The best he can hope for is a long relief spot and 6th starter job, which is only slightly better than what he had in New York. Additionally, the Yankee rotation includes 3 pitchers who are not exactly steady bets to remain in the rotation long term. Ivan Nova was seen to be on fairly shaky footing just two starts ago, and Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia are both health risks. The Yankees will almost certainly need another starter at some point in the next few months, and Millwood could have positioned himself as the best option to fill that role. Instead, he decided to try and find an immediate shot at a MLB job. I wish him all the best, but I am not so sure that he is going to find greener pastures elsewhere.

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