Miller captured his third hold of the year after dealing 1.1 scoreless innings Thursday against Minnesota.

EDGE Analysis

Miller has held his opponents hitless in five of seven appearances this season, just as he did in Thursday's win. The left-hander has been on point through 8.1 innings, pounding 91 of 125 pitches for strikes (73 percent strike rate) while maintaining a flawless ERA.

Miller pitched a scoreless eighth inning, allowing a walk and recording one strikeout en route to his second hold of 2017 in Monday's 3-1 victory over the Twins.

EDGE Analysis

Unlike Monday, there haven't been many close games for Miller to rack up the counting stats just yet, but that hasn't stopped manager Terry Francona from keeping the left-hander busy. Through six scoreless appearances (seven innings), Miller has an 8:1 K:BB with a fancy 0.86 WHIP.

Miller pitched a clean eighth inning to notch his first hold of the season in Tuesday's 4-3 victory over Texas.

EDGE Analysis

The left-hander has earned a decision (he got the win on Monday) in each of the campaign's first two contests. Miller is an unusual relief pitcher in terms of fantasy value. Although he's not expected to take over the closer role at any point this season, the 31-year-old still holds value across most formats, even those that don't award points for holds. Miller will see a boatload of innings while providing an excellent strikeout rate that brands him a strong fantasy asset.

Miller (1-0) threw one inning and struck out two to earn the win over the Rangers on Monday.

EDGE Analysis

He entered a tie game in the eighth inning and benefited from a three-run ninth-inning outburst from Cleveland's offense. The hard-throwing lanky left-hander is one of the best fantasy relievers not in a closing role because of his dominant strikeout abilities. He should see occasional save chances based on matchups or if Cody Allen needs a break, too.

Miller struck out two and walked one in a scoreless innings Sunday against San Diego.

EDGE Analysis

The outing was Miller's final appearance before leaving Monday to join Team USA for the upcoming World Baseball Classic. Miller said he was pleased with what he accomplished in his four spring outings before the tournament. "It was just trying to feel good," the southpaw said, "and trying to feel like you're moving in the right direction. I feel like I've accomplished that. For the most part, I've thrown a lot of strikes. And I feel like I'm getting a little bit better every time, a little crisper. I kind of worked in more secondary today, but I feel like I'm right where I need to be." Miller's WBC usage will be closely monitored by the Indians' coaching staff, and whether he pitches in anymore Cactus League games will depend on his level of participation in the tournament.

Miller allowed three hits and struck out one in his spring debut Saturday against the Reds.

EDGE Analysis

Despite getting into a bit of a jam, Miller was content with the outing. More than anything, he was happy to consistently find the strike zone and see reactions from hitters in a game setting as he prepared to join Team USA for the upcoming World Baseball Classic. "I felt like I was throwing strikes. That's more than you can hope for at this point," the lefty told reporters after the game. "We just want to see how our stuff plays against live batters. We know they're behind. They haven't seen live pitching. It's a process for everybody. The biggest thing for me is to go out there, make adjustments and get the ball over the plate the majority of the time." Indians' pitching coach Mickey Callaway noted that Miller is scheduled to appear in four Cactus League games before departing for the Classic.

Miller will return to a set-up man role this season as Cody Allen remains the closer, Chris Assenheimer of The Chronicle-Telegram reports.

EDGE Analysis

Miller served well in a setup role last season as part of a deadly combination with Allen. Acquired from the Yankees at the trade deadline, the tall left-hander posted a 1.55 ERA and a 0.55 WHIP over 26 games, helping Cleveland capture the AL pennant. Miller's numbers will obviously make him a top reliever in some formats, but it's unlikely he will be able to rack up saves on a consistent basis.

Miller feels ready and fully-equipped to balance the World Baseball Classic with preparing for the MLB regular season, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

After an early-morning throwing session Tuesday, Miller emphasized that the MLB season is what's most important. He's consulted the Indians' training staff on how to handle the WBC after throwing a career-high 93.2 innings in 2016. According to his pitching coach Mickey Callaway, the most important element to the southpaw's participation in the tournament will be to monitor his pitch usage. Callaway noted that Miller has typically thrown a high volume of fastballs in the early stages of spring training, whereas the 31-year-old's slider is his dominant pitch in the regular season. The pitching coach plans to keep in contact with Team USA during the WBC to keep tabs on Miller's pitch usage.

Miller plans to pitch for Team USA in each round of the World Baseball Classic, MLB Network Radio reports.

EDGE Analysis

Miller has made it clear, despite a heavy workload last year, that he'll go full-throttle for Team USA and his first big-league manager, Jim Leyland, in the upcoming WBC. Any team would be concerned if a high-priced asset like Miller left the team during spring training to play for another organization. The big lefty who played a critical role in the team's 2016 AL Championship will now have to ramp up his preseason routine a bit early, and lock in for a potential 10-month stretch of pitching. It's fair to assume a veteran like Miller will handle the situation with care, but if he's used often during the WBC, then he may be on an innings-limit early in the 2017 MLB season.

If Miller pitches in Game 2, it will likely be for "an inning, max," according to manager Terry Francona, MLB.com's Jordan Bastian reports.

EDGE Analysis

The 46 pitches he threw in Game 1 were the most he has ever throw in a relief appearance, so it's not surprising that the Indians will dial back his usage in Game 2. However, with the off day Thursday, Miller should be available for heavy usage once again in Game 3.