After weeks of searching for an additional arm for their rotation — specifically a left-handed one — the Orioles have landed the southpaw they sought by acquiring Wade Miley from the Mariners. Minor league left-hander Ariel Miranda will head back to Seattle in exchange. Both teams have announced the trade.
[Related: Updated Baltimore Orioles and Seattle Mariners Depth Charts]
Miley gives Baltimore a desperately needed arm that can help to stabilize what has been an extremely top-heavy rotation. While Miley struggled quite a bit earlier this season, he’s righted the ship to an extent as of late, pitching to a 3.80 ERA with a 33-to-15 K/BB ratio across his past 47 1/3 innings of work (eight starts). His most recent outing was his most impressive with the Mariners, holding a potent Cubs lineup to a run on hit and a walk with nine strikeouts in seven innings.
Overall, Miley is sporting an unsightly 4.98 ERA in 112 innings, though that figure is accompanied by more palatable marks: 6.6 K/9, 2.7 BB/9 and a 46.6 percent ground-ball rate. While the earned run average isn’t impressive, even that modest production represents an upgrade over the contributions that Baltimore has received from the third, fourth and fifth spots in its rotation. Beyond Chris Tillman and Kevin Gausman, the Orioles have seen right-handers Ubaldo Jimenez, Yovani Gallardo, Mike Wright, Tyler Wilson, Vance Worley and Dylan Bundy combine for a 5.93 ERA in 323 1/3 innings of work. As such, Miley only needs to provide a steady source of reliable innings to help stabilize the Orioles’ starting staff. And, Miley’s recent uptick in production could be an indicator that he could return to the form that saw him compile a lifetime 3.95 ERA in 832 1/3 innings prior to the 2016 campaign. He’ll also give manager Buck Showalter a left-handed option in his rotation — something that Baltimore has lacked all season.
The Orioles have been on the hunt for a rotation upgrade for more than a month, though they’ve been somewhat hamstrung in their efforts to add an arm due to the fact that their farm system is lacking in top-tier prospects. Miley, though, doesn’t figure to command an overwhelming return given his 2016 struggles and the fact that he’s owed a not-insignificant $8.75MM in 2017 plus at least a $500K buyout of a $12MM option for the 2018 season. Adding in the remaining $2.13MM on his 2016 salary, Miley is owed at least $11.38MM through the end of the 2017 campaign, though Baltimore could control him through 2018 for a total of $22.88MM if he is able to continue his recent success and prove worth of that $12MM option over the next 14 months.
The O’s signed Miranda, 27, to a minor league contract last May after he defected from Cuba. He’s on the 40-man roster by virtue of having his contract selected and making his big league debut earlier this year (he allowed three runs in a two-inning relief appearance) and has had fair success in the minors since signing with Baltimore. Miranda has a career 3.80 ERA across four minor league levels and has pitched to a 3.93 mark with 7.8 K/9, 2.8 BB/9 and a 38.6 percent ground-ball rate in 100 2/3 innings (19 starts) out of the rotation in Norfolk.
Miranda will add some depth to the upper levels of the Mariners’ system and could even present them with an immediate rotation replacement for Miley or an option in the big league bullpen. The subtraction of Miley from the 2016-17 roster creates more of an opening for the Mariners to insert both Taijuan Walker and James Paxton into the rotation, health permitting. (Walker is currently on the disabled list with a foot injury.)
Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports first reported that the two teams reached an agreement on a Miley deal, pending physicals (Twitter link). Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports added that Miranda would go to Seattle (Twitter link). Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported that the deal was official following the medical reviews (via Twitter).
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Hellickson is better though..
But would cost more in Top Prospects and don’t have any.
2.5 years of Miley isn’t gonna cost much more than 2 months of Hellickson
They would want like maybe Gausman or Top Prospect back the Phils
Looking at the trade now, I’d disagree
This year alone, Gausman has been about as good as Hellickson. Even on his best day, I don’t think Klentak would consider that a reasonable request
I agree. I thought Miley would get more
IMO, Miley’s as good as Hellickson and cost nearly nothing trade wise.
Typical Duquette buy low player.
They wouldn’t get Gausman
Trading from the rotation on the major league roster won’t help anything.
Will be interesting to see if they continued the market trend and paid a lot for a sub-par starting pitcher
Duquette is actually such a treat to watch as an opposing fan. Baltimores really only a good starter or 2 away from being serious contenders, and this is the best he could do. Instead he settles for guys like Miley, and gave up draft picks and way to much money for gallardo and ubaldo.
I’m sure YOU could do so much better.
Well we’ll never know lol, but I can guarantee you most people would not have signed gallardo to the deal he did while giving up the 14th overall pick. He has been bad for years now, or at least on a decline
I definitely agree that the Jimenez and Gallardo signings were questionable at best, as was trading Davies for Parra last season. Other than that, however, I’ve been really pleased with DD and the work he’s done in the front office. The last time the O’s had this type of multi-year sustained run of success, I was in elementary school.
If these types of moves are the tradeoff for playing meaningful games in August and September instead of wishing for Raven’s season to start in May, I’m all for it.
All three of those moves were terrible. Gallardo’s decline was glaring and to give up a top 15 pick and sign him for 2 years was dumb. And to give up a young pitcher for Gerardo Parra last year made no sense at all – Parra is a nice 4th OF but hardly a difference maker. The Trumbo trade was great but DD misses as often as he hits on these moves.
And I think that last line is one you could apply to almost every GM in baseball. Every GM hands out dumb contracts or makes a stupid trade at some point, so while those moves sting, I don’t hold it against him too much.
Ultimately, the squad is defined by their record, which is where DD has shined.
PS – you’re giving Parra wayyyy too much credit haha
his clubs in first place. didn’t know first place deserved criticism
Well, to be fair, I said they were a player or 2 away from being a clear AL favourite, but he hasn’t addressed that need over the past two years
If Matusz does well tonight the orioles might be kicking themselves for not trying to stretch him out into a starter again
I think Matusz is washed up got beat up in the first inning as a starter and was horrible as a reliever
Friend of a friend is the source of this info, but he went to school with Matusz. Said he was a party kind of guy and things came naturally for him. Was looking for the big contract to match his ego, and didn’t put in the work to ultimately live up to it.
That being said, the Os have ruined plenty of pitching prospects before, so I doubt his laziness is the only thing to blame in this instance.
Either way, he got shelled tonight.
What are they sending back to Seattle
Arial miranda? is that the actor from Hamilton
No.. It’s the last name of the girl in the movie The Little Mermaid. Makes sense that she is heading to the Mariners.
Miranda is 28 next year and is probably a reliever. Not a fan for Seatle
I think it’s a good trade for the O’s
If it is good, we’ll be the Seattle ripoff kings
This
Bedard Jones Tillman
Clevenger Trumbo
Don’t forget All Star Closer George Sherrill in that Bedard deal.
lame trade in my opinion
1 Steve on the saying the medicals may not check out given the Orioles history.
That should say Plus 1.
Why does it feel like we basically just give players to the Orioles? Of course you have the Bedard trade which still hurts. But then Trumbo for Cleavenger and now Miley for Miranda? I see no benefit to this trade for Seattle.
Two words. Salary dump.
Ariel Miranda. Two girl’s names.
A double double girly girly
girly squared
Good acquisition for the Orioles. Miranda doesn’t profile as much and Miley was serviceable with BOS last year. In the past 8 starts Miley has put up a 3.80 ERA with QS against CHC and TOR and a 52.5% GB rate. Given the lack of quality SP on the market next year, Miley should provide good value in 2017, possibly 2018. Are there things not to like about him? Yes, but we weren’t going to go out and acquire a stud. Drawbacks include his decline in FB velocity from 90.9 to 90.4 mph per fangraphs, though fangraphs’ wFB has the pitch better this year than last. His 15.8% HR/FB is also at a career high (9.2% with BOS last year), but it could regress to the mean much like Parra’s babip did last year after that trade. Can’t help but be pleased with the acquisition, and we reserved our key minor league pieces in case we want to go shopping again. .
Salary dump for ’17 for the M’s. Miley has looked sharp the last few games.
Growing up an O’s fan and going through those tough years. I’m glad to see them compete, didn’t give up anything for Wiley. All Good, O’s
Ariel Miranda has a pulse; therefore, he is an adequate return for Miley from the M’s perspective. The M’s are definitely selling high here, as Miley has run off 3 good starts in a row. Before that, he was inconsistent at best. The move from Safeco to Camden Yards won’t do him any favors. But I would guess that the M’s aren’t paying a penny of Miley’s remaining contract, so the return was never going to be great.
When the M’s first traded Carson Smith and Roenis Elias for Miley and Jonathan Aro, I thought it was a bad deal, made in haste and “desperation” off of the announcement that Hisashi Iwakuma had come to terms with the Dodgers (of course, the Dodgers “failed” Iwakuma on the physical, and he came back to the M’s after all!) But Miley is nothing but a .500 pitcher with league average ERA and WHIP, who is at best a back-of-the-rotation arm, and the M’s really needed a true #2 after Felix, given the uncertainty surrounding Paxton, Karns, and Walker. After the fact, trading Smith wasn’t a big loss for Seattle, as they probably knew he was skating on thin ice with his arm. But there was no need to trade Elias as well. That lack of starting pitching depth has come back to hurt the M’s this year (see Wade LeBlanc currently in their rotation.)
Jerry DiPoto’s “scorecard” for moves this past year comes back at a C+ level right now, which is appropriate given the M’s record at 2 games over .500. Some moves have worked out (Dae-Ho Lee, Steve Cishek, Leonys Martin, Nick Vincent), some have not (Wade Miley, Adam Lind, Joaquin Benoit.) The M’s have certainly been better to watch than in past years, but they’re not a contender yet. Mr. DiPoto still has a lot of work to do.
Not to mention the Trumbo trade…
I thought the O’s were trying to win the AL East, not go .500!
O’s are in trouble, the Jays are getting hot and are a better team. Tigers and Astros look to get the wild card spots.
Breaking News:
Dodgers acquire Chris Archer in exchange for cash, Cody Bellinger, Grant Holmes, Jose de Leon, Willie Calhoun and Josh Sborz
Where did you here that because nobody is Reporting it?
Pretty sure he’s proposing that because I couldn’t find anything either.
Probably should preface it that way…
Troll…
I was stunned that the Mariners traded Carson Smith away for Miley, glad to get him off the roster, Miranda has the potential to be at least as good as Miley was this season. As for Baltimore, really :O Miley is another mediocre pitcher, that really an upgrade, just adds a lefty option.
Wow, Miranda’s upside is effectively a regressed Miley anyway, right?
Not much back – even for an average to below-average arm.
The O’s just added a 4th starter for a AAA team. Way to go for the gold there.
Steve Clevenger (no namer) and Ariel Miranda (below average prospect) for Mark Trumbo (30 HR at all star break) and innings eater Wade Miley. Nice going Mariners.
Makes me wonder if the Orioles somehow have some dirt on DiPoto. Maybe they have pictures of him at a topless bar? (joke)
Because Trumbo really tore it up last year. While its not the whole reason, it does help being able to play in the AL East (since most of the parks are hitter friendly). At the very least, playing home games in Camden as opposed to Safeco is going to make a difference.
Yeah – the M’s were ready to release him after last season. The O’s bailed them out in not only taking on his whole salary, but also giving up a backup catcher. I think his performance has exceeded everyone’s best hopes.
There’s a chick that plays in pro baseball?lmao
This is the worst trade of all time,
There’s been worse. I doubt Ariel Miranda is any good. Doubt he’s a top prospect.
Worse then the Curt Shilling trade to Philly? Don’t think so!
Or what about jake Arrieta and Pedro Strop for Steve clevenger and Scott Feldman I think too.
And they got Eloy Jimenez with one of the international picks they got from Baltimore as well. Pretty good haul for two players one isn’t playing anymore. The other is an emergency catcher
Not close. Plenty to choose from but Lowe and variteck for Slocumb is far worse and helped reverse course of both franchises
As an Expos/Nats fan you can’t have “worst trades” and NOT have the Colon for Sizemore/Phillips robbery the Indians pulled off.
Not a bad trade for the Orioles. Get a lefty who has been serviceable and is controllable for a bit, especially in light of a thin starter market in 2017. I’m good with this.
As an Orioles’ fan, I’m OK with this. He’s not a big name but he also didn’t cost very much. Having a controllable contract is a bonus as well. Miley eats up innings, which alone will help an overtaxed bullpen. Now if they can get a guy with speed that can get on base…