The Reds placed left-hander Wade Miley on the 10-day injured list due to a neck strain, with the placement retroactive to September 22. Southpaw Cionel Perez was called up from Triple-A to take Miley’s spot on the active roster.
Though the timing works out for Miley to make one more start before the season is over, it seems possible that the veteran lefty has thrown his last pitch of the 2021 season. The Reds will need at least one replacement for Miley’s rotation spot in the short term, as Miley had been scheduled to start Monday’s game against the Pirates.
Miley has an 8.35 ERA over four starts and 18 1/3 innings in September, putting a sour finish on what has otherwise been a very solid season for the 34-year-old. Miley has 3.37 ERA over 163 frames for Cincinnati, with a 49.4% grounder rate and an above-average walk rate to go along with a lot of soft contact. Never a big strikeout pitcher, Miley has only an 18.1% strikeout rate this year, just about matching his career average.
After signing a two-year, $15MM free agent deal back in December 2019, Miley barely pitched in his first year with the Reds, as shoulder and groin injuries limited him to 14 1/3 innings in 2020. This season’s nice bounce-back effort will now greatly increase the chances of Miley remaining in Cincinnati next year, as the Reds hold a $10MM club option ($1MM) buyout on Miley’s services for the 2022 campaign.
Injury to insult. The kings of letdown.
Thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery.
Did anyone predict the Reds would be in the hunt for as long as they were? I don’t think the Reds were a disappointment.
Tough break if Miley’s season is over. Forget the September numbers. He gave them way more than anyone had a right to expect.
Won’t matter. Brewers, Cards, Giants, Dodgers and the NL East champ will be in the playoffs.
Not sure if Nostradamus or Captain Obvious?
The NL East champ? Don’t hedge. You might as well just “predict” that the playoffs will consist of the East champ, the Central champ, the West champ, and the 2 wild cards. You’d be right every time.
hey hiflew It won’t matter that he is injured or not. And the East is not decided. I defer to you being the site genius though.
When will the Reds give up on Cionel Perez. He’s a bust and a waste of space.
The guy has pitched a total of 22 innings for the team. Are you that impatient? Would you have wanted the Angels to get rid of Mike Trout, the guy that hit .220 in his first 40 games, because he didn’t immediately take off?
Roy Halladay pitched 217 MLB innings in 1999-2000 with an ERA of 6.01.
Greg Maddux was at 5.61 in 155.2 innings in 1987.
Tom Glavine: 5.54 in 50.1 innings in ’87.
John Smoltz: 5.48 in 64 innings in ’88.
Randy Johnson: 6.67 ERA in six ’89 starts before the Expos traded him to Seattle (oops).
Roger Clemens: 4.32 over 133.1 innings as a rookie in ’84.
Gaylord Perry: 5.23 over 43 innings as a 23-year-old rookie in ’62.
Bob Gibson: 5.61 in 86.2 innings during his sophomore year of 1960 (at age 24).
Sandy Koufax: six years of MLB mediocrity before turning it around.
That’s eight Hall of Famers and 29 Cy Young Awards, all by pitchers whose early numbers suggested a waste of space. How might Cardinals’ history be different had they gotten tired of waiting for 24-year-0old Gibson to turn it around?
Cionel will still be only 25 when next season starts (if it starts).. Reds roster is a haven for potential late bloomers.
Hear hear…
“This season’s nice bounce-back effort will now greatly increase the chances of Miley remaining in Cincinnati next year”
If those chances are not 100%, then I have to wonder why anyone would want to be a Reds fan. Miley has been in the mix for the Cy Young award this year. If the Reds aren’t willing to pay a relatively cheap option for that, then they don’t deserve fans.
It’s like a mercy killing
I love the way Wade Miley gets the ball and throws it like MLB pitchers used to. Miley doesn’t waste any time standing there holding the ball. I love watching MLB, but hate the unnecessary dead time. Instituting a pitch clock wouldn’t affect him at all.
I saw him throw a no hitter earlier this season in Cleveland.