Miley declines mutual option, becomes free agent (source)
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MILWAUKEE -- Veteran left-hander Wade Miley declined his half of a $10 million mutual option for 2024, according to a source, and will instead test his value on the free-agent market.
Miley, who turns 37 on Nov. 13, will get a $1 million buyout plus the chance to shop his services around after going 9-4 with a 3.14 ERA in 120 1/3 innings spanning 23 Brewers starts in 2023.
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Of MLB.com’s top 25 free agents this offseason, 11 are starting pitchers, though many of them carry question marks. Top free agent Shohei Ohtani is in a class of his own, but it remains to be seen when and if he returns to the mound following a second Tommy John surgery. Blake Snell and Aaron Nola would require a club to give up a Draft pick, presuming they are extended qualifying offers. Sonny Gray is going into his age-34 season. Clayton Kershaw announced Friday that he’d undergone shoulder surgery.
Miley could be enticing to a team looking at the next tier of pitching.
When he was healthy -- Miley went on the injured list for a left lat strain in May and June, and for left elbow discomfort just after the All-Star break -- he was as effective as ever, allowing one earned run or fewer in more than half of his starts (12 of 23) and fewer than four earned runs in all but three of his outings.
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A veteran of 13 Major League seasons, Miley has had two stints with the Brewers and remains open to returning again. The Brewers have Freddy Peralta and Colin Rea signed for 2024 (Rea re-signed on Thursday after briefly reaching free agency), and Corbin Burnes and Adrian Houser have one more arbitration year remaining. So does Brandon Woodruff, but he is expected to miss the ’24 season following shoulder surgery. And left-hander Aaron Ashby’s status is in flux after he missed all of ’23 with a shoulder injury.
With Miley’s status settled, the Brewers have one more contract option to decide by Monday. Outfielder/first baseman Mark Canha has an $11.5 million club option with a $2 million buyout.