For over the month, the Baltimore Orioles have been trying to make a trade for a left handed starting pitcher. Without a lot of time left, Wade Miley of the Seattle Mariners could be the one.
It’s not that Miley wasn’t interesting before; it’s just that the Mariners weren’t in the mood to sell until recently, realizing that it’s time to start trading. Chris Tillman and Kevin Gausman have been pretty much the only productive starting pitchers for the Orioles (making it amazing they’ve done so well), as the 3-4-5 slots have produced very little for them. Miley hasn’t been great this season, but new surroundings and ball parks make for wonderful changes, while the Mariners hope that with younger pitchers they both build to the future and somehow remain a distant contender for a playoff spot.
Miley hasn’t been with the Mariners for long, joining them in an offseason trade that sent right-handed reliever Carson Smith to the Red Sox. He’s been a disappointment up to this point: A 5.23 ERA through 105 innings in 18 starts, with his WHIP at 1.419, striking out only 6.3 batters per nine innings and his strikeout to walk ratio down to 2.21. It seems that 2012 All-Star season was the exception in most metrics, although this season has been worse than the others. However, over his last 8 starts, including his last one against the Cubs, he’s been a lot better, with a 3.80 ERA in 47.1 innings of work.
The salary might be a deterrent considering his performance. His $6.6 million salary this season means the Orioles would have to pay around $2.2 million for the rest of 2016. In 2017 he’s owed $8.9 million, and in 2018 there’s a team option of $12 million, which could rise to $14 million based on incentives. This means the Orioles will be on the hook for one more season overall of Miley, which is risky considering his ability in recent years.