The Brewers declined their end of a $12MM mutual option on Wade Miley, tweets Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. They’ll pay a $1.5MM buyout to send him back to free agency.
It’s an easy call for the team. He’ll miss a good chunk of the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in April. A $12MM salary for Miley would’ve been rich even if he were healthy. The veteran left-hander signed for $8.5MM last winter, taking the form of a $7MM salary and the option buyout. That was after a season in which he turned in a 3.14 ERA over 23 starts. He took the ball just twice this year before his elbow gave out.
Miley has battled injuries in recent years. Elbow and shoulder troubles have hampered him since 2022. When healthy, the 37-year-old (38 next month) has managed strong results despite middling velocity and whiff rates. Miley has posted a sub-4.00 ERA in each of the past three seasons in which he has topped 100 innings.
Assuming he’s going to continue pitching, Miley should land an incentive-laden deal. A minor league contract isn’t out of the question, though it wouldn’t be surprising if he secures a base salary in the $2-4MM range with the ability to tack on earnings based on next year’s workload.
Miley’s option is one of a staggering seven decisions involving the Brewers. Rhys Hoskins holds an $18MM player option. Milwaukee has easy calls to exercise team options on Freddy Peralta and Colin Rea. The Brewers have an option on Devin Williams, who’ll be eligible for arbitration even if they decline it. Frankie Montas, Jakob Junis and Gary Sánchez each have mutual options. They’re all likely to become free agents.
Jacob Junis was traded to the Reds. You must be confused as to the other pitcher? perhaps Cervelle? I would give the deal to Willims He has earned it! I agree with the decision on Miley. We cannot afford a high paid player who may not produce. No knock-on Miley, nice guy!
It’s interesting that baseball reference still has Junis wearing a Brewers hat, even though he was traded halfway through the season. They also still show that the Brewers are on the hook for the mutual option.
As a Red’s fan I was a bit surprised that Jakob Junis was still a Brewer.
Jakob Junis is no longer a Brewer.
Montas is in a good spot as a free agent. I’m interested to see how his market plays out.
Sub in Civale for Junis and article makes sense, though Matt Arnold and co. should at least consider keeping Civale around and seeing what the pitching lab can do with him given a full year. Miley might be back on a smaller guarantee with another option similar to the last Woodruff contract though at a lesser rate. They’ll go through arbitration to save a few dollars with Williams since the lower price tag improves trade value, and even if they don’t trade him they won’t care if they upset him since he most likely won’t pitch for the Brewers again after 2025, similar to the no holds barred approach they took with Burnes. I’m higher on Montas than most but he’d have to take a discount for the crew to resign him since they won’t go near the avg value for a free agent pitcher. Hoskins returns and hopefully plays well enough to get a 3 year 60 million deal next offseason, nice enough guy but got hurt at the wrong time and didn’t have the season he was hoping for in 2024. Peralta and Rea top the rotation and help lead the Crew to another division title in 2025, hopefully a fully healthy Yelich in the playoffs paired with Chourio gets them past the first round for the first time since 2018. Go Crew!
Jacob Junis is on the Reds
Miley was a real asset to the Crew even without pitching. A born coach, they should find a role for him.
The Wade Miley fan club is in mourning.
I think he would make a great long man/spot starter once he recovers. Predicting every team will eventually have a couple of those guys in their bullpen at the big league level going forward with all the injuries. Less yo-yoing with the minors and burning options.