Veteran Starter Wade Miley Declines $10MM Option with Brewers
In a surprising move, veteran starter Wade Miley has declined his end of a $10MM mutual option with the Milwaukee Brewers, according to a report by Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. It remains unclear whether the Brewers had accepted their end of the option. Regardless, Miley will receive a $1MM buyout and become a free agent.
Miley, who will turn 37 later this month, delivered impressive performances over 23 starts during his second stint with the Brew Crew. After signing a $4.5MM guarantee last offseason, he showcased his skills by pitching 120 1/3 innings with a solid 3.14 ERA. Despite his soft-tossing style, Miley managed to achieve success despite a modest strikeout rate. He struck out 16.1% of opposing hitters while maintaining a strong ground ball rate of 46.3%.
Although Miley may not be known for missing bats, he has consistently posted a sub-4.00 ERA over the past three seasons. In 2022, he was limited by injuries to just 37 innings. However, the previous year, he pitched 163 frames with a 3.37 ERA for the Cincinnati Reds. When healthy, Miley has proven to be a reliable and effective starter. Despite dealing with a lat strain and elbow discomfort, he took the ball every fifth day from August onwards.
Mark Canha’s Option Decision Looms for Milwaukee
In addition to Wade Miley’s decision, the Milwaukee Brewers have one remaining option decision to make. The club faces a borderline call on outfielder Mark Canha, who has an $11.5MM provision with a $2MM buyout. The Brewers will need to make their decision by Monday afternoon.