Jan. 9: The Brewers formally announced their one-year deal with Miley. This weekend’s trade of Justin Topa to the Mariners opened a spot on the 40-man roster.
Jan. 4: The Brewers are in agreement with veteran starter Wade Miley on a one-year deal. It’s reportedly a $4.5MM guarantee for the O’Connell Sports Management client. Miley will make $3.5MM next season and is guaranteed a $1MM buyout on a $10MM mutual option for the 2024 campaign.
The deal also contains various innings-based incentives that could max it out at $6MM. He’d earn an extra $150K by getting to 75 innings pitched, followed by $350K for getting to the 100-inning plateau and two $500K bonuses available at 125 and 150 innings. The deal also contains a $250K assignment bonus if Miley were traded.
Miley, 36, heads to his third NL Central team in as many seasons. He spent two years with the Reds from 2020-21, including a 3.37 ERA through 28 starts during the latter campaign. The Reds nevertheless placed him on waivers at the start of last offseason, as they’d evidently determined not to trigger a $10MM option on his services. Miley was claimed by the Cubs, who promptly exercised the option, and he went on to spend one year on Chicago’s North Side.
It wasn’t the kind of season the Cubs had envisioned. The 12-year MLB veteran began the season on the injured list thanks to inflammation in his throwing elbow. He made his team debut in early May, but that return proved short-lived. He went back on the IL after four starts, this time due to a strain in his shoulder. Miley wound up out of action for over two months, not returning until September. He pitched five times down the stretch, concluding his season with nine appearances.
To his credit, the crafty veteran remained effective when able to take the hill. The former All-Star pitched to a 3.16 ERA through 37 innings. He averaged only 85.1 MPH on the cutter that served as his primary pitch and struck out a below-average 17.6% of opponents. Miley has never overpowered batters, relying instead on solid enough control and the ability to avoid barrels.
That was again the case during his limited 2022 work. Miley induced grounders on a very strong 52.6% of batted balls. He held opponents to a subpar 86.7 MPH average exit velocity and allowed fewer than one home run for every nine innings pitched for a third straight season. While he hasn’t topped a 20% strikeout rate in a season since 2014, his heavy reliance on a cutter and changeup has allowed him to consistently keep away from damaging contact.
That track record is clearly of appeal to a Milwaukee club that plays in a fairly hitter-friendly home park. The Brewers already have six quality starting pitchers. Corbin Burnes and Brandon Woodruff headline the group, followed by Freddy Peralta and Aaron Ashby. Eric Lauer and Adrian Houser are quality options at the back end. Miley has started 285 of his 292 MLB appearances, though it’s possible Milwaukee prefers to deploy him in a more flexible swing role considering his lack of innings in 2022.
If the plan is for Miley to secure a season-opening rotation spot, that could free up general manager Matt Arnold and his front office to market Lauer or Houser in trade. The Brewers could look for another bat to incorporate into the right field and first base mix, and it’s possible they bring in a veteran infielder to lessen the workload for Luis Urías or rookie Brice Turang. Dealing one of their incumbent starters would be a way to bolster a lineup that was middle-of-the-pack last season.
It’s Milwaukee’s first significant dip into major league free agency this offseason. Miley’s relatively modest salary brings the Brewers payroll projection to approximately $119MM, as calculated by Roster Resource. Milwaukee opened last year with a player payroll just shy of $132MM, so there should still be room for Arnold and his group to build out the roster as they try to close the gap with the Cardinals at the top of the division.
Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic first reported Miley and the Brewers were in agreement on a one-year, $4.5MM deal that could max out at $6MM. Bob Nightengale of USA Today was first to report Miley would receive a $3.5MM salary in 2023 and that the deal contained a $10MM mutual option with a $1MM buyout; Nightengale was also first with the specifics of the incentive structure and the assignment bonus.
Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Odd fit unless Miley is relieving or they are trading someone
Very much agreed. The brewers don’t really have the money for insurance policy starters.
One or a combo of Huira/Lauer/Houser might get moved.
I think the pitchers could be moved I don’t see anyone taking Kira unless it’s just a dump
So much power so much potential. Kid just can’t make contact enough to nab a roster spot.
I watched him here at UC Irvine and hoped he’d be a good player. Made plenty of contact in college.
Looks like their 5th starter to me.
They might need a guy to face the first batter of the game, and nobody else.
One more batter than Bauer will be facing for the Dodgers
Some team is going to scoop Bauer up.
Peralta missed half the season last year, Ashby might be better suited for relief (especially with Suter gone) and Houser has picked up trade interest so the Miley certainly makes sense, especially if another move is coming
Curioius to know what you’ve heard about trade interest in Houser. I haven’t seen anything on that.
All good points: he could be depth to hedge against injuries; he could be a replacement for someone being transferred to the bullpen; or he could be a replacement for an impending trade candidate.
I understand the criticisms about his IP, but if one reviews his advanced metrics over the past two seasons, 2022 & 2021, they’re very, very similar and he pitched 163 innings in ‘21.
So, this could end up as one of the better depth starter acquisitions this offseason, especially for the money.
Very good insight here
And Miley did pitch well for the Brewers in 2018
Stephen Strasburg, Jake Arrieta and MadBum were good back then too.
The only thing is with Miley and every other heavy groundball pitcher is that the shift is now limited.
That will hurt groundball pitchers around the league. We’ll see what happens. This is 7 viable starters for Milwaukee—with holes on offense and pitching prices high around the league—I would believe that one guy may be on the move.
In fact, he’s pitched 150 innings every other year in the last half dozen, and under 40 in the opposite years.
He’s due for a healthy year.
Inning based incentive so I’d question the likeliness as a reliever . I tend to see the later here.
Was wishing the jays would sign him and put Berrios to the bullpen. Absolute worst pitcher I’ve ever seen in my life. I can’t stand to watch another full season of him….ughhh
Yet you presumably saw Kikuchi pitch last year.
I’ll add that last year was an outlier in what’s been a solid and consistent career for Berrios, so suggesting he’s the “worst pitcher you’ve ever seen in your life” is pretty asinine.
Absolutely. Even for someone like me who sees Berrios as overrated, he doesn’t fit in the discussion of “worst pitcher.” That’s ludicrous.
I assume you’re a jays fan and you must be far too young to remember Josh Towers being with the team. Or maybe you didn’t care about the jays when Josh Johnson was in town. There are probably several names I’m forgetting, but especially Towers is the one who incites pure rage within me.
Towers immediately came to mind when I saw Lil Stevie’s post.
Josh Towers had a 93 ERA+ with Toronto, including 2 above average seasons. Sure, 2006 was awful and 2007 was also bad, but he was 9% better than league average with the Jays before those 2 years. Remember pitching environment and era influence ERA.
Or maybe you didn’t care about the jays when Josh Johnson was in town.
===================
The good ole days, when writers were tripping over themselves to say “the Blue Jays won the off-season”, despite two high-level bad trades.
That contract isn’t going to the bullpen
Houser/Lauer being moved for a bat?
That very well could be. Or they could just be trying to avoid another Jason Alexander season. This does set up well to move Ashby or (preferably) Houser to the pen. But if they could get an upgrade at 2B or 3B, they could slide Turang into a UTIL role for 2023 and let Toro and Owen Miller start at AAA. At least the days of Pablo Reyes at UTIL are in the rear view mirror.
Owen Miller will not start at AAA as he was basically brought in to replace Jace Peterson. Toro and Hiura will have an interesting battle in spring training vying for essentially the same spot. Could be neither one is with the organization by opening day
Ashby is not going to the pen. It makes ZERO sense. He’s built to start and has amazing stuff. He’s had an up and down development arc, but it reminds me of another: Burnes.
Ashby will be the 3rd starter. He’s better than Freddie. Which makes this a devastatingly good starting staff.
Lauer should be the 5th and Miley the 6th to manage his innings and keep him healthy.
Houser can now be traded. That seems to make the most sense. He has the most value and could pull in a starter at 3B.
Houser has the most value with 2 years of control left? Coming off of a year with an ERA close to 5 In about 100 innings?
He has the least amount of value in the Milwaukee rotation at present.I don’t believe he’s bringing back a starting 3B.
Houser has been much better as a reliever. His career ERA out of the bullpen is 1..76 with a WHIP of 1.1. That’s where he belongs, if he’s not traded.
WISH WE HAD HIM TWO YEARS AGO
Absolute bargain.
lol
The Brewers big off season move.
Overpaying for Swanson was great.
The next Heyward
The next Heyward is already Christian Yelich, who you guys overpaid for. These next 6 years should be fun. Good luck!
Says the fan of the Yankees who give a ridiculous amount of money to Rondon…who’s never healthy and to Judge who had one historic season and was dreadful in the playoffs.
Have fun being swept by Houston again. They your daddy
Seriously.. Could your comments be more lame? Minimizing Swanson and Judge? You need help, pal.
And why are you nowhere to be seen on the “big” Bryse Wilson acquisition??
Milwaukee-2208;
What is with you?
You have some of the worst takes on this chatroom board. You don’t seem to understand or follow the game. Are you a Yankee or a Red Sox fan?
I think the Swanson comment is more of a hope from a Brewers Fan who has seen the Brewer World Series window shut tight.
But hey they still have the very smug Craig Counsell.. Really good managers can account for at least 20-30 wins…
Milwaukee-2208. At least they made the playoffs. Is 2208 the year the Blewers won the WS?
Huge move by the Brewers. Wilson is a key piece to the Matt Arnold roster puzzle. There are only a few times when you can acquire one of the MLB worst starters. Oh sure Stearns did it but not on this scale.
Given the talent level last year, this was a 50 win team. Couns DOES get the best out of mediocre players.
Except for the now 18 new players on the 40 since the deadline. No FAs, but I’d say almost every move they made was big. Trading Wong and Renfroe. Trading the absolute garbage of Ruiz for Contreras (they Brinsoned someone again!).
They’ve made huge moves all off season. You must not be paying attention.
Nothing against Wade Miley, but why won’t the Brewers commit to Aaron Ashby in the rotation? I’m sure he’ll get some starts regardless, but I’m a little surprised.
Who says they won’t? But so far, he’s been inconsistent and/or injured. A little insurance isn’t the worst thing (for him and Peralta).
Valid points. It seems like Ashby the odd man out at this point. Depth is a good thing, but they also had Houser, Small, Alexander, Junk, and maybe Gasser as well.
I think someone is getting moved. And for the young guys you mentioned, they like to ease them into the bigs out of the pen. My guess is that continues for the most part.
I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see Ashby in the Pen this year. Highly unlikely we run with 3 left handed starters and Ashby have been extremely effective in multi inning roles as a reliever. As a way to limit innings this year it does make sense. The other variable that has to be considered is do we have something in the making to trade either Burnes/Woodruff and reload cost controllable, high end pitching prospects? I never buy the ‘we won’t trade them narrative’. If you have the opportunity to acquire 2 upper echelon arms for either of the aces I have to believe it’s something that is considered, especially given how dried up SP in in free agency. Making some assumptions about the 2024 free agents in SP outside of Urias/Ohtani (assuming Scherzer opts in) you have some really nice, aging arms but nothing you likely lock into under multi-year ace money. I expect many short term FA contracts in SP next offseason.. It might be beneficial for teams to ‘overpay’ for Woodruff/Burnes with this in mind., as well as knowing they could lock them in beyond 2024.
I’m guessing the Brewers are going back to a full-time 6-man rotation, like they had in ‘21, when they were mostly healthy, starter-wise all season long, unlike last year.
Burnes-Woodruff-Peralta-Lauer-Ashby-Miley with Houser to the bullpen.
Nice pick up
.1 innings and on to the bullpen.
Is it me? Or does Wade Miley always sign with NL Central Teams…
It’s just you.
Next time I wanna see him on the Bucs for 160 innings, 2.0 ERA, and a .80 Whip, Dream. But Cardinals would be interesting if he went there.
You wouldn’t rather have Rich Hill for twice as much?
Rich Hill I feel is meh, I don’t think he’s good I don’t really think he’s bad.
That makes 7 possible starters by my count. Someone has to be heading out. Houser makes sense on the Brewers end, but what is his value right now?
I can’t see them moving Ashby or Peralta with their very team friendly deals. Lauer..? Only established lefty they have, and swapping him for Miley feels like a sizable step back.
Then we have Burnes or Woodruff. Either gets moved and the fans will REALLY need therapy.
Lauer seems reasonable but yes Houser seems like the most likely.
Hauser and Junk for CJ Cron.
Rumor has it Houser’s value is high and teams are inquiring.
I’d be down for that.
White Sox thought they could trade from the depth in their bullpen. Things can change quickly. Might be wise for Milwaukee to wait to see who’s healthy in spring training before making a move.
If 1 of those guys (let’s say Houser, since he’s been mentioned more than once, and makes the most sense) helps get a legit bat/3B back, I think they’ll still be able to piece together a solid 5 man rotation, with at least a couple backup plans if someone goes down. They’ve done it before.
Eight games started 37 innings pitched total. Lol.
and people were up in arms that the Reds cut him loose @ 10 mil
To make him look even worse he actually had one relief appearance to go with those eight starts. Still only 37 innings pitched.
But every other year in the last 6 he pitches 150.
This is his year!!
Sounds like Twins limits.
Bryce Wilson we hardly knew you.
I keep forgetting this guy is still around, but he keeps performing, so I won’t forget him again.
They’ll go with a six man rotation. Houser in the pen
Oh, Ashby in the pen too
No. Houser traded. Ashby the #3.
Brewers gathering lefty ex-Reds, hoping to roll back the calendar to 2021. Joey Votto next?
My guess is Miley starts the year on the bullpen as the long reliever but will be brought in to spot start when injuries hit the rotation which is inevitable. Good depth signing that adds veteran lefty to the staff.
Cheap, considering other options (Jordan Lyles and Kyle Gibson)
Wade Miley’s had a nice lucrative career – and not had to even buy a razor….
Would have made a great fourth starter for the Reds. The Reds have 3 starting pitchers. If Lodolo, Greene or Ashcraft get hurt, the team is really going to be a mess.
Seems like Reds are playing 2023 for draft lottery odds.
Salary dump coming. Yelich and Woodruff to NYY for package of prospects . Maybe the SFG as an alternative?
I don’t think the Brewers are going to use Burnes or Woodruff to get rid of the yelich contract,not to mention he has a full no trade Claude I believe.
Jmergs- we’re supposed to ignore that Yelich has the NTC, and just assume he’ll waive it to go somewhere(ever) else.
Seems to me if they actually could move on from that deal..with the other cost saving moves so far this off-season..they would have already.
So logic tells me either he won’t waive it, nobody wants him AND is willing to give something back, or a combination of these things.
Or, due to the no trade clause, Milwaukee hasn’t shopped him, at all.
Maybe Texas? Yelich and 50% cash of 13 mil a year with Devin Williams for nothing? Or maybe Duran/Foscue and a few top 30 Rangers guys (Top 6 farm) for most of his salary? Maybe something in between the two extremes?
Great! Now deal Houser + for Ramon Urias or Isaac Paredes!
Would do the Paredes deal in a heartbeat. I doubt Houser alone lands him, though.
That’s what the “+” was for
Houser and Weimer.
Just a really good signing. Of course, an injury risk but 2021 was really good…well worth the gamble.
This was all a misunderstanding. Arnold thought his adviser said he should “get Wade,” so he signed him. But later, when he told his adviser about the signing, the adviser said: “Wotsa wuck with that!”
Interesting deal and option has the makings of getting picked up when they part with Burnes and Woodruff. Nice injury insurance. Houser to bullpen? He just may be suited for setup. Guy just can’t avoid the big inning where he walks 2, 3 infield hits and 3-4 runs are scored. Doesn’t have a true K pitch. Bump up the velocity in bullpen and raise the Ks.
I’d rather have him than Montas. Miley is only one year removed from a career year with the Reds. Their home ballpark rivals Coors Field in hitter friendliness.
Montas missed 16 days with a shoulder injury last year. Miley missed 101 days with a shoulder injury. Cashman overpaid for Montas, but I’d rather have him than Miley. Miley’s been hurt every year since 2020: groin, shoulder, foot, neck, elbow, and shoulder again. Last year’s 16 days were the only time Montas has missed on the IL in his career according to Spotrac.
Nope. Every OTHER year. 20 innings one year, 150 the next. Look it up. He’s due for the 150 this year.
I did look it up, as I said in the comment you’re replying to:
spotrac.com/mlb/milwaukee-brewers/wade-miley-8797/…
You can never have enough pitching, injuries occur across 162 games, someone will go down, and this gives Milwaukee depth.
I am sure Wade will be available for the full 162 game schedule. He was such a workhorse for the Cubs….NOT!
Can I get betting odds on when Wade hits the DL
I don’t believe there is a DL, so I’d say not at all next season.
@duhawk83
Something to do with the Cubs training staff. Maybe get people that know how to keep the muscles loose instead of focusing their resources on 1s and 0s on a screen to tell them if someone is 1% better than league average. Did you know that for the Yankees, Donaldson was only 6% worse than league average. That really says a lot about how weak the hitting is in the MLB. Way too much focus on data analytics in the game nowadays.
Very exciting to take low risk on Wade Miley. Very effective when healthy. The Brewers starters – Burnes, Woodruff, Peralta, Lauer, Miley – Have the option to trade Hauser and/or Ashby. No team in the NL would want to play this staff in the Playoffs and might be second best behind only the Mets. Get Escobar to play 3B and bring up Turang to play 2B. Trade Hauser, Ashby and Taylor for Bryan Reynolds.If the Brewers change their hitting approach and start to attack the first strike things could get very interesting in Brewtown in 23′.
1. C Yelich OF/ DH
2. B Reynolds CF
3 W Adames SS
4 R Tellez 1B
5. W Contreras C
6 E Escobar 3B
7 J Winker OF/DH
8 G Mitchell OF
9. B Turang 2B
At 35-1 it wouldn’t be bad to tickle a Crew a little bit.
I doubt they trade Ashby after signing him to an extension (buying out his arm years) last summer. Maybe if it’s for a(nother) cost controlled bat, but not one looking to get PAID in the near future.
Trading controllable, inexpensive guys is not their M.O.
That isn’t getting Reynolds, especially to a division rival
Guy keeps you in games. Nice arm to add and always overlooked.
I like how this article mentions it’s his third NL Central team in as many years, yet also fails to mention that he was with the Brewers before that and doesn’t even mention it at all that it’s a reunion.
Good deal. The upside potential for the money is well worth it. I keep comparing these pitchers contacts to Kyle Gibson’s deal and just see so much more upside in many of these other pitchers not even getting as much money as him next year. You could take a flier on Miley and another starter who could actually be good or you could have Gibson who will probably pitch all year but isn’t good.
This will probably upset a lot of us Brewer Fans, but I think Milwaukee might inquire about Trevor Bauer, regardless of the baggage, we kept Ryan Braun around regardless of the PED’s, Bauer might need a new start and scenery even if it for one year with incentives could be a steal.
You aren’t giving Bauer any incentives. LA is already paying him 23MM for the year. It’s only the league minimum.
Bauer doesn’t know how to shut up so that’s really the issue w/ all this hanging over him. If he could just apologize (fake or not) and move along this could be behind him. But he was already controversial and irritating in some clubhouses prior to this.
Nice signing! Guy still has something in the tank. He was 31% better in ERA+ than the league average and 39% better in 2021. Let’s hope he can spin one more No-Hitter.
i like it. miley’s decent. as mike ehrmantraut would say, the guy is solid.