NEW YORK — Former Yankees outfielder Clint Frazier renewed his public war with beat writer Randy Miller Tuesday, blasting the reporter’s questioning of struggling infielder Oswald Peraza as another example of unnecessarily harsh coverage of young players.
The latest salvo came after Miller asked Peraza a pointed question following the third baseman’s costly error in Monday’s 4-1 loss to Toronto.
“How disappointing is it that you haven’t been able to take this opportunity and make the most of it so far?” Miller pressed, adding that “a lot of people have been waiting a while for your career to take off.”
Frazier, who retired in 2024 after battling concussions and inconsistent playing time with multiple teams, immediately fired back on social media.
“Look at my boy randy asking another shit question to a player,” Frazier tweeted. “The best part about this question is randy is definitely searching for a headline but nobody falls for his clickbait anymore.”
Years-long antagonism surfaces again
The exchange represents the latest chapter in a bitter five-year feud between Clint Frazier and Miller that began with a 2020 locker room confrontation. According to Frazier’s account, Miller “sprinted across the locker room to confront” him after the then-outfielder muttered “Shocker” upon hearing the reporter criticize teammate Miguel Andujar’s defensive play.
Frazier has since accused Miller, who covers the Yankees for NJ.com, of “stalking him through the farm system” and operating burner social media accounts to harass him online. The former fifth-round draft pick has repeatedly claimed Miller made his early MLB career “hell by peddling false narratives.”
Miller, a Baseball Writers’ Association of America member and Hall of Fame voter since 1996, has not publicly addressed Frazier’s allegations. The NJ.com reporter frequently blocks critics on social media and declined to comment for this story.
Peraza’s precarious Yankees position adds context
The timing of Miller’s question made it particularly stinging. Peraza, once the Yankees’ second-ranked prospect, is batting a historically poor .152 with a .452 OPS this season. His 26 wRC+ ranks dead last among all qualified major league hitters, meaning he’s performed 74% worse than average.
Monday’s fifth-inning error proved especially damaging. With two outs and the Yankees trailing 2-1, Carlos Rodon induced what should have been an inning-ending ground ball from Myles Straw. Peraza fielded cleanly but “rushed through the sequence” and sailed his throw past first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, allowing Toronto to extend its lead to 3-1.
“A play I have to make there,” Peraza acknowledged through a translator, handling Miller’s follow-up question with professionalism despite its harsh framing.
Roster crunch intensifies pressure
Peraza’s situation has grown more desperate since the Yankees acquired third baseman Ryan McMahon from Colorado on July 25. Out of minor league options, the 25-year-old Venezuelan cannot be demoted without clearing waivers, making him a prime candidate for designation for assignment.
The former top-100 prospect’s career has spiraled since losing the 2023 shortstop competition to Anthony Volpe. Despite showing promise in his 2022 debut (.306 average in limited action), Peraza has managed just a .152 average across 170+ major league games.
His opportunity at third base emerged only because Oswaldo Cabrera suffered a season-ending ankle fracture in May. But Peraza failed to seize the chance, posting a .125 average in July before McMahon’s arrival effectively ended his role.
Pattern of uncomfortable questions
Baseball insiders say the incident fits a troubling pattern. Miller has drawn criticism for aggressive questioning of young Yankees players, with multiple sources describing his approach as unnecessarily harsh toward struggling prospects.
The Frazier-Miller dynamic has become legendary among Yankees followers, representing a rare public feud between player and beat writer that has persisted years beyond Frazier’s departure. Frazier, who was non-tendered following the 2021 season, has continued monitoring and criticizing Miller’s coverage.
“Yaaaa yankees fans should be rejoicing if randy is the one reporting news,” Frazier tweeted as recently as December. “Means they still have a chance because randy has no sources & doesn’t report facts.”
The Yankees, currently 5.5 games behind Toronto in the AL East, face pressure to make moves before the July 31 trade deadline. For Peraza, those moves likely spell the end of his Yankees tenure—and Miller’s question served as a particularly blunt reminder of that reality.
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