ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Left-hander Andrew Miller will be promoted to the Red Sox from Triple-A Pawtucket and is scheduled to pitch Monday against the San Diego Padres, according to a baseball source.
Miller met with Red Sox GM Theo Epstein on Wednesday, the deadline for him to exercise an opt-out in his contract that would have allowed him to become a free agent if the Sox did not call him up by then. Miller went 5 1/3 innings for the PawSox on Tuesday night, allowing a run on five hits while walking one and striking out 10, so will be pitching with an extra day's rest on Monday.
Manager Terry Francona, meeting with reporters before Wednesday's game here, offered no particulars on the team's plans for Miller, other than to say he will stay here.
"He's obviously a huge part of our organization and will stay that way,'' Francona said. "He's not going anywhere. If, when, where we'll work that out. As things unfold, it'll make some sense.''
Miller is 3-3 with a 2.47 ERA in 12 starts with Pawtucket and has been especially impressive in his last four starts: He shut out Indianapolis on one hit over seven innings on May 29, struck out nine and did not walk a batter in six innings against Durham on June 3, went seven innings allowing just one run while walking none June 8 against Norfolk and gave up just one run in 5 1/3 innings Tuesday.
The Sox acquired Miller by trade last November from the Florida Marlins for left-handed reliever Dustin Richardson, then non-tendered him, choosing instead to sign him to a free-agent minor-league deal because he was out of options and the team wanted more roster flexibility. Miller had offers from other teams, big-league offers, but chose to sign with the Red Sox because he decided they gave him the best chance to unlock the talent that has not yet delivered on the enormous promise that led the Detroit Tigers to draft him No. 1 in 2006, the year that he and good friend Daniel Bard pitched the University of North Carolina to the College World Series. Bard was drafted in the first round that year by the Sox.