Cincinnati Reds Sign Starting Pitcher Wade Miley

Wade Miley (Wikimedia Commons)

The Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball signed lefthanded pitcher Wade Miley from the Houston Astros on Tuesday. Miley, a native of Hammond, Louisiana, signed a two-year contract worth $15 million.

In 2019 with the Astros, Miley had a record of 14 wins and six losses with an earned run average of 3.98 and a WHIP of 1.35. In 167 1/3 innings pitched, Miley gave up 164 hits, 74 earned runs and 61 walks. He also had 140 strikeouts. The loss of Miley is actually a bit of a blow to Houston, who also lost starting pitcher Gerrit Cole to the New York Yankees last week.

Miley was spectacular last season up until the end of August. By August 30, Miley had a record of 13 wins and four losses with a stellar earned run average of 3.06.

The month of September was a significant struggle however for Miley. In 11 1/3 innings, Miley gave up 21 earned runs for a whopping earned run average of 16.68. As a result, Miley has left off the Astros roster in the American League Championship Series against the New York Yankees and the World Series roster against the Washington Nationals.

The Reds become Miley’s seventh Major League Baseball team. In addition to the Astros, he has pitched for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Seattle Mariners, Baltimore Orioles and Milwaukee Brewers. In his rookie season with the Diamondbacks in 2012, Miley represented the National League in the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, was second to Bryce Harper of the Washington Nationals for the National League rookie of the year, won a career-high 16 games, and ended the year with a solid earned run average of 3.33.

Miley becomes the second high profile free agent to join the Reds in free agency. Infielder Mike Moustakas signed a four-year contract with Cincinnati from Milwaukee on December 5. Miley joins a starting rotation that includes Luis Castillo, Trevor Bauer, Sonny Gray and Anthony DeSclafani.

Cincinnati did a great job of preventing runs from being scored in 2019. Their 711 runs against last season was the third-fewest runs allowed in the National League. Only the Los Angeles Dodgers (613 runs against) and St. Louis Cardinals (662 runs against) gave up fewer runs than the Reds.