Mariners Player Profile: Wade Miley

The Mariners brought in Wade Miley to be a mid-rotation anchor capable of soaking up innings and keeping opponents honest.

More from Seattle Mariners

Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto traded reliever Carson Smith and starting pitcher Roenis Elias for Wade Miley for reliever prospect Jonathan Aro this offseason to add a mid-rotation anchor who can keep games close and soak up innings all season long. He was a top prospect with the Arizona Diamondbacks organization after being selected in the first round of the MLB draft in 2008.

Miley was successful in his first full season in the big leagues in 2012 with Arizona, going 16-11 with a 3.33 ERA in 194.2 innings, and earning All-Star honors in the process. Over the next few years, Miley’s statistics worsened. By 2014, Miley’s last season with the Diamondbacks, Miley was consistently around the .500 mark in wins and losses with an ERA over four and a Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP) mark at four (3.98 in 2013 and 2014). Miley also became known for getting his 200 innings. His 193.2 innings last season with the Boston Red Sox were the fewest he’s pitched in a full season since 2012.

Miley has had a rough start to the 2016 season, but one reason for hope entering this year was Miley’s home run rate. Perhaps a little because Miley played in a hitter’s park in Arizona, he gave up over 20 home runs in each of his last two seasons for the Diamondbacks. Last season, while pitching in Fenway Park for his home starts, he only allowed 17. So… there’s that.

Will “Innings Eater” Wade Miley give the Mariners chances to win games, or will Scott Servais have to bench him? Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /

I just can’t expect too much from Miley this year, especially after watching him forget how to pitch in Cleveland last week (he has allowed three runs against the Angels in his April 24th start as of this writing). I doubt the Mariners bosses expect him to be an ace, but Dipoto and company seemed all too willing to exchange a middle-of-the-rotation arm in Elias and an effective reliever in Smith for Miley and a decent prospect. “Innings eater” is to me a pitcher with a low ceiling. At best, innings eaters like Miley could finish with 200 innings of allowing between four and five runs every nine. At worst, they get clobbered until the manager mercifully makes up an injury for him so he can bring up the next guy.

Next: Player Profile: Nathan Karns

Wade Miley took an ERA of 8.04 into his most recent start against the Angels, but his season could still go either way. Can the Mariners win with Miley on the mound? Or will Mariners manager Scott Servais enact the mercy rule on his veteran starter?

Home/Seattle Mariners