In 2005, Miley graduated from Loranger High School in Louisiana.

In 2005, the Devil Rays chose him in the 20th round, but Wade turned them down and accepted a scholarship to the University of Louisiana-Monroe.

Wade's hometown of Loranger has a population of 5,000. "There's a whole lot of nothing," says Wade. "Just a grocery store, a gas station, and a school. That's about it. There's no stoplights, no stop signs. We do have a caution light, but that's it. No chain restaurants."

What, no Subway?

"No Subway yet," Miley said, a bit dejected.

But while the good people of Loranger still have to make the 12-mile trek to Hammond, Louisiana, to find a Subway or a McDonald's or a Walmart, they do have a profound point of pride in Miley.

Wade grew up in Louisiana, dreaming of becoming a big leaguer and one day taking the same field as his beloved Atlanta Braves.

And on August 20, 2011, Miley made his Major League debut against the Braves—the team for which he rooted as a child—as he was the starting pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

During the summer of 2007, Miley pitched in the Cape Cod League for the Wareham Gatemen.

In 2008, pitching for Southeastern Louisiana, he went 5-3 with a 3.84 ERA. And, his 119 strikeouts trailed only big league alumni Kirk Bullinger and Jeff Williams (125 each) as the most in Southeastern Louisiana history.

In 2009, the Baseball America Prospect Handbook rated Miley as the 5th-best prospect in the Diamondbacks' organization. They dropped Wade down to #15 in the winter before 2010 spring training. But he was back up to #8 in the spring of 2011. And he was at #9 in the offseason before 2012 spring camps opened.

"If you're looking for a smile or a joke or anything, he embodies all that," said right-hander Josh Collmenter, Miley's longtime teammate.

Miley knows several of the characters on the History Channel show "Swamp People," a TV series documenting alligator hunting in Louisiana. On a number of occasions, he's bought crawfish from the family of one of the main characters, Troy Landry.

He's been alligator hunting, too, but doesn't necessarily use the same techniques as the folks in the show, who go after gators in made-for-TV fashion. Collmenter said plenty of Miley's jokes and the team's jokes about Miley relate to his background and his ability to "summon all the stereotypes and stigmas of backwoods Louisiana.

Miley prepares for the game well. And he's smart, baseball-wise. Wade is also enthusiastic and has a good attitude.

In May 2012, Miley, a native of tiny Loranger, Louisiana, was paying his first visit to New York. It's not quite his speed.

"Some people like the high-paced lifestyle," he said. "I don't."

He said he left his Times Square hotel and made it two blocks before turning around and going back.

"There's people everywhere," he said. "You can't even cross the road, or a taxicab is going to run over you. Just a lot of people.

"You won't see that many people in my hometown in three weeks combined. Last night on the bus back we couldn't even turn. The crosswalk says stop, but it didn't even matter. It was like a herd of bulls coming through."  (Nick Piecoro - azcentral.com - May 2012)

Miley's humble upbringing undoubtedly helped form an endearing personality that has made him a hit with his teammates. There is no brashness or bravado to the man who has become the D'Backs' unexpected ace, and unlike prized prospect Trevor Bauer, he attracts no attention with an odd pregame routine or fledgling rap career.

He's just Wade. And that's enough.

"He's a big part of this clubhouse," J.J. Putz said.

It was Putz who initiated the now-famous "Words with Wade" game in the D-backs' daily spring training meetings. Miley would be given a word and be required to spell it, define it, and use it in a sentence, in front of all his teammates. The words were difficult, and Miley's ill-fated attempts to figure them out were, according to those in the room, hysterical.

"I think one of the words was 'Schadenfreude,'" Miley said, shaking his head. "I never want to use that word again. I don't even remember what it means, and I definitely don't know how to spell it."

"Schadenfreude" is a German word meaning "finding pleasure from the misfortune of others." And sure, maybe you could say Miley's teammates were experiencing a little bit of "Schadenfreude" through Miley's vocabulary limits. Or when Putz would stealthily place a bubble gum bubble atop Miley's cap during spring workouts without the pitcher knowing or noticing. Or when word got around that Miley asked a hotel clerk how long a cab ride to Alcatraz would take ... even though the club was in San Diego, not San Francisco.

But Miley has been a great sport about everything and is, in fact, happy to help keep the mood light in the D-backs' clubhouse. And though Wade might not know how to spell "Schadenfreude," he insists there's more to him than meets the eye.

"Me being from Louisiana," Miley said, "I think they think I'm some backwoods dummy. But I think I'm pretty smart."

He has certainly shown that his intelligence on the mound, getting more out his "stuff" than most pitchers.

Wade's favorite dinner is chicken and dumplings. "Everybody in my family can cook it, so that's what I go home to get," Miley said. "There's always a big pot of it waiting for me."

"I try not to turn my back on the catcher," Miley said. "Just get it and go. Your defense plays better and the guys you're facing don't like it. Why not use that to an advantage." (3/20/13)

One scout's take on Wade: "I think he has a deep repertoire and is really aggressive. For a young guy, he doesn’t seem to be bothered by being hit, which is something you can’t teach." (Example: On April 1, 2014, Miley gave up four earned runs to the Giants in the top of the first. Final score? 5-4, Diamondbacks. And Miley pitched seven innings.)

In 2012, he finished second in National League Rookie of the Year voting.

September 14, 2013: Miley joined Randy Johnson as the only lefties in D-Backs franchise history to record consecutive seasons with at least 10 wins.

In April 2014, Miley showed up to a D'Backs game with his famous Louisiana locks gone and sporting a bald head.  "A very close friend of mine is going through chemo and radiation and I told him as long as he was going to be bald, I was going to be bald," Miley said. "It's just hair, so it's not that big of a deal. It's not like I use it like Samson or anything."

Miley's childhood friend Johnnie Santangelo III recently had a malignant brain tumor removed and is scheduled to begin chemotherapy April 14. Santangelo was drafted as a pitcher by the Kansas City Royals in 2004, but his career was cut short because of arm problems.

"It's Stage 3, which is not great by any means, but they were able to remove the tumor and the radiation and chemo is to kill the rest of the cells in hopes that it's completely gone," Miley said. "What he is going through right now, I commend him for being as strong as he is, and it helps me to stay strong."

"It changes your life perspective. You realize how important life is," Miley said. "Obviously, this game is important to me and important to everybody in here, but once you go home and you think about somebody in your life going through something like that, I didn't think about it anymore because the game was over."  (Sanchez - mlb.com - 4/13/14)

In 2014, Wade has teamed up with some other players on the D-Backs to form a group. "Fender Guitars" has supplied a music room for the group to practice. Mark Trumbo plays drums and lead guitar. Bronson Arroyo is on guitar and vocals.  Miley plays base guitar. Aaron Hill plays rhythm guitar. Kurt Gibson's oldest son plays guitar and sings. A.J Pollack is also in the band.

December 2014: Miley addressed questions about his statements related to the gluten-free diet and celiac disease. He claims the Diamondbacks pressured him to be on the diet, but he refused, and his decision became a frequent source of issues. Miley does not have a medical condition that would require him to be on the diet, and he felt that eliminating gluten was not necessary.

Sept 27-30, 2016: Wade was on the paternity list.

2018 season: Miley was one of the Orioles’ main starting pitchers 2017, more or less serving as the number-three on a team that won 75 games. His numbers were actually so bad — 5.61 ERA, 5.27 FIP, 7.02 DRA — that he couldn’t warrant a major-league contract as a free agent over the offseason.

In February 2018, Miley signed a one-year, minor-league contract with the Brewers that promised him $2.5 million if his contract was selected to the Majors. On May 2, the Brewers did just that, promoting him to the big league club after he pitched 25 decent innings in Double-A. That's right, Miley was pitching in Double-A earlier in 2018. In his seven starts there, he posted a 3.55 ERA with a 28.6 K% and a 4.1 BB% against the 98 batters he faced.

Clearly, the Brewers liked Miley’s peripherals, prompting them to bring him to the big league club, where he made 16 starts for the rest of the season. Little did they know, Miley would actually play an integral role in the Brewers’ run to the NL Central title and subsequent sweep of the Rockies in the NLDS. This was a new Wade Miley, one that we had not seen in a long time, if ever.

Miley’s 2.57 ERA in 2018 was a career-low. Not just that, his 16 starts this season represented—in terms of run prevention—the best 16 consecutive starts of Miley’s career. Clearly, something changed. One does not become this good of a Major League pitcher after being at league-average (or worse) throughout the majority of their career. And, yes, Miley is no exception. Of course he changed.

Two years ago (2016), Wade did not even throw a cutter; today, it’s the most prominent pitch in his repertoire. If you want even more proof that Miley’s top pitch is now his cutter, just take his first postseason start against the Rockies as an example. He threw 24 cutters across his 64 total pitches, or 37.5 percent. While slightly lower than his season average (41.6 percent), Miley is still relying heavily on the pitch. it’s clear that Miley’s cutter isn’t just good, it’s elite.

Miley’s cutter isn’t good because of its ability to miss bats. Rather, it generates weakly-hit contact that doesn’t turn into damaging results. This minor-league deal is turning out to be quite the steal for the Brewers. It’s all because of the cutter. ( Devan Fink - SBNation - Oct. 14, 2018 ) 

It was a “MARVELous” night at Great American Ball Park on July 17, 2021, as the Reds celebrated Wade’s no-hitter against the Cleveland Indians with a commemorative poster featuring the Reds pitcher and the Hulk.  The exclusive comic book-style poster was made by Marvel and the Reds to recognize Miley and his Hulk tattoo that he wore on May 7, the night of his historic accomplishment.  Miley’s 4-year-old son Jeb had applied a temporary Hulk tattoo on his dad’s arm before the game which the pitcher credited as his good luck charm during an interview after the no-hitter.  Everything snowballed from there.

The Reds and Marvel teamed up for the special poster and distributed over 25,000 of them to fans in attendance at the game.  Brian Crosby, poster illustrator and creative director of Marvel themed entertainment , flew into town for the occasion and took part in a meet and greet before the game.  He signed posters for over 300 fans at the Reds Hall of Fame and Museum presented by Dinsmore.  Crosby was joined by two special guests:  his father -- and 1973 Reds infielder Ed Crosby -- and the Hulk himself!  Ed signed pictures from his playing days, and the Hulk posed for photos with fans.

The event wouldn’t have been complete without an appearance from the night’s biggest celebrity -- the aforementioned Jeb Miley.  Jeb joined his dad at the Hall of Fame to meet the Hulk and Brian Crosby and showed off a freshly applied Hulk tattoo on his shoulder while Wade wore one on his forearm, exactly where it was during the no-hitter.

Miley grinned ear-to-ear when talking about Jeb, his big day at the ballpark with the Hulk, and all the promotion leading up to it.  “I don’t think he quite understands really what’s going on, other than he’s just excited,” Miley said before the game.  “But it’s Marvel, and he likes all the characters.  They did a little video beforehand and he was a little bit starstruck and didn’t know what to say.  But then when we got home, he couldn’t stop talking about it.”  (Cincinnati Reds - mlb.com - 7/20/2021)

March 29, 2023: It was Aug. 20, 2018. The Brewers had just returned home to face the Reds. Miley had pitched two days earlier in St. Louis, so there was no reason he couldn't enjoy a pregame hamburger. Suddenly, he began to choke.

"I took two quick bites and it hung up," Miley said. "I ran in the hallway and looked around, and I couldn’t breathe. I looked around and there was nobody. I was like, 'Do I go to the training room? It was maybe 40 yards. Or do I go back into the kitchen.'"

In Miley's telling, he chose the kitchen. Teammates used to seeing Miley mess around thought he was joking when he gestured that he was choking. The day after his choking scare, Wade Miley joked with his hero, Stephen Vogt, about what was a scary ordeal.

Vogt remembers it a little differently. In his telling, Miley never left the room. He took the bite of burger and tried to wash it down with Gatorade. When the liquid spilled right back out of Miley's mouth, Vogt knew he was in trouble.

Either way, Vogt, the veteran catcher who’d given the Brewers a power jolt in 2017 but was down with a right shoulder injury in ’18, sprung into action. He grabbed Miley around the stomach hard, then hit him on the back several times for good measure.

“He gave me the Heimlich, and I’m here to tell about it,” Miley said. “He’s a lifesaver.”v (A McCalvy, MLB.com - March 29, 2023)

Dec 4, 2023:  After spending the past month testing the waters in free agency and pondering whether he wanted to keep going into his age-37 season, left-hander Wade Miley is coming back to the Brewers.

"I love it here. My family loves it here," said Miley. 

Speaking of family, it was Miley's son, Jeb, who made the final call. Miley -- who has already pitched for the Brewers, Cubs and Reds among his eight MLB teams -- knew he wanted to stay in the National League Central, and he indicated he had some interest from multiple teams. Jeb Miley, who is close with the youngest sons of new Milwaukee manager Pat Murphy, told his dad he should stick with the Brewers.

"My son said I had to play for the Brewers or retire," said Miley, whose wife is expecting another son in February. "So that was it."

This is Miley’s third time signing a deal with the Brewers, for whom he first pitched in 2018. After he returned for 2023, he was 9-4 with a 3.14 ERA in 120 1/3 innings spanning 23 starts. (A McCalvy - MLB.com - Dec 4, 2023)

May 8, 2024:  Even after repairing more than 3,000 elbows, many of them belonging to the most valuable arms in the world, Dr. Timothy Kremchek isn’t in the business of publicly discussing his work.

For Brewers pitcher Wade Miley, an exception was in order. Miley, 37, underwent a hybrid procedure to repair the elbow ligament damage that has bothered the left-hander for years before his 2024 season came to an abrupt end last month. He authorized Kremchek, who has been affiliated with the Cincinnati Reds for more than a quarter century, but has performed Tommy John surgeries for pitchers from all corners of Major League Baseball, to discuss his case with MLB.com.

“I’ve had a number of pitchers we have done this with in their mid-30s and they’ve done well,” Kremchek said. “They rehab, their elbow feels stable and they’ve come back and were able to pitch a few more years.

“Now, will he be able to? I don’t know. But at the start of the season, he looked good, and he was pitching on fumes. Without him having to worry about where his elbow is and how it feels, I’m very optimistic that this guy has a few more years in him. And so does he.

“I was pretty stoked. I was super happy when we were done.”

Kremchek is among a small group of experts performing a hybrid procedure in the past two-three years that offers patients -- including, in Kremchek’s case, former Brewers pitchers Brent Suter and Justin Wilson -- a more aggressive path to come back.

In Miley’s case, Kremchek said, the rest of the elbow was “pristine,” but the ligament was definitely in need of repair, and probably explains why Miley had been dealing with shoulder issues and other injuries recently as he compensated for the compromised elbow.

With the elbow fixed, Kremchek’s goal for Miley is to be throwing bullpens and facing hitters by Spring Training 2025, and ready to pitch for a team in late April or May of next year.Miley re-signed with the Brewers in December for one year plus a mutual option for ‘25. The option is for $12 million with a $1.5 million buyout.

“He wants to go out on his own terms, and this is going to give him an opportunity to come back and throw,” Kremchek said. “With this new hybrid that we’re doing, you can really accelerate your throwing and your comeback.” In a Tommy John procedure, the surgeon replaces the damaged ligament with a tendon from another part of the body. In the hybrid, a surgeon performs that step, then also places a collagen-braided brace that supports the elbow. It is a much more complicated procedure than a typical Tommy John surgery and means more stiffness in the joint in the short term, but more stability as well.

As a result, a player can begin strengthening his arm again without putting too much stress on the replacement ligament.

“It’s almost like a belt and suspenders,” Kremchek said.

The procedure took place in Cincinnati, with Miley’s family watching from the viewing room. It was Miley’s first surgery and he was visibly nervous -- not surprising for a pitcher who paces the hallways of clubhouses before his starts.

“He woke up happy as a lark,” Kremchek said. “He really wants to come back to Milwaukee and be with the team this year, and then work hard to give this thing a chance and pitch a few more years. I really think he can.” (A McCalvy - MLB.com - May 8, 2024)

Oct 31, 2024:  Miley deferred a decision about whether he would continue pitching following TJ Surgery, but by season’s end, he was leaning toward a comeback.

Now he’s “definitely” intent on pitching in 2025, said agent Tom O’Connell. Miley, who turns 38 on Nov. 13, is on track to be throwing in Spring Training and expects to be ready to pitch for a team in the big leagues in May 2025.(A McCalvy - MLB.com - Nov 1, 2024)

TRANSACTIONS

June 2008: The D'Backs drafted Wade in the supplemental part of the first round—the 43rd player chosen. And Miley signed for a bonus of $877,000, via scout Trip Couch.

December 10, 2014: The Red Sox sent pitchers Rubby D La Rosa and Allen Webster and a player-to-be-named to the D'Backs, acquiring Miley.

February 5, 2015: Miley and the Red Sox avoided arbitration and agreed to a three-year extension. The pact includes a fourth-year option.

The value of the contract is $19.25 million, and it would increase to $30.75 million if the Red Sox exercise their fourth-year option. The deal breaks down as follows: $500,000 signing bonus, $3.5 million in 2015, $6 million in 2016, $8.75 million in 2017, and a $12 million club option for 2018 with a $500,000 buyout.

December 7, 2015: The Mariners sent RHP Carson Smith and LHP Roenis Elias to the Red Sox, acquiring Miley and reliever Jonathan Aro.

July 31, 2016: The Mariners traded Miley to the Orioles for LHP Ariel Miranda.

Nov 3, 2017: Wade chose free agency.

Feb. 15, 2018: The Brewers signed a minor league contract with Miley which included an invite to Spring Training. The deal will pay $2.5 million base salary in the Majors, with $3.2 million more in incentives.

March 22, 2018: "This is unusual timing. We have a player who had an injury the day before decisions had to be made," said GM David Stearns, referring to an "out" in Miley's Minor League contract.

By day's end, Stearns and Miley's agent, Tom O'Connell, had an agreement to keep Miley in the organization while he rehabs. The Brewers will pay Miley the $100,000 retention bonus he's due as a veteran non-roster invitee, and he will remain on his Minor League contract. Had he made the Brewers' Major League roster on Opening Day, even on the disabled list, Miley would have been guaranteed a $2.5 million salary, with an additional $3.2 million available in incentives.

Oct 29, 2018: Wade chose free agency.

Jan. 31, 2019: The Astros and Miley agreed to a one-year deal worth $4.5 million, with an additional $500,000 in incentives.

Dec 16, 2019:  Miley and the Reds agreed to a two-year, $15 million contract with a $10 million club option for 2022. He will earn $6 million in '20 and $8 million in ’21, with an additional $500,000 in performance bonuses based on innings pitched.

Wade was eager to be reunited with pitching coach Derek Johnson, his coach with Milwaukee when he was 5-2 with a 2.57 ERA in 16 starts in an injury-plagued 2018 season.

"As soon as the Reds came up, it was like, Derek Johnson, ding-ding-ding in my head," Miley said. "It automatically sky-rocketed them up on the list. We hit it off in Milwaukee for whatever reason. The way he communicates, the way he gets things across to me, and the way he picks out things in my delivery—he kind of lets me be me as opposed to trying to change everything. I think he does that with a lot of guys. I think that's why he's had a lot of success in his first couple of years." (Mark Schmetzer - Reds Report - Feb., 2020) 

Nov 5, 2021: The Cubs claimed Miley off waivers from the Reds, picking up Miley's contract with a $10 million club option and a $1 million buyout.

Nov. 6, 2022: Miley became a free agent.

Jan. 4, 2023: Miley agreed with Brewers on one-year, $4.5 million contract that includes a mutual option for a second season. 

Nov 3, 2023: - 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.

Dec 4, 2023: The Brewers signed free agent Miley. Miley finalized a one-year deal with a mutual option for 2025. The contract guarantees $8.5 million. Miley will earn $7 million in 2024, with $2.5 million more available in incentives for innings pitched, and the 2025 option would pay $12 million, with a $1.5 million buyout. Miley also has a 10-team, limited no-trade clause in this deal. If he is dealt, he would get a $1 million assignment bonus.

Oct 31, 2024:  the Brewers declined their half of veteran left-hander Wade Miley’s $12 million mutual option, a widely expected outcome that gave Miley a $1.5 million buyout and made him a free agent.

Miley has an 87-91 mph two-seam CUTTER. He gets some late cutting action with his across-the-body arm action. He runs it in on lefthanded batters. He also has a 90-95 mph 4-seam FASTBALL along with an 89-93.

His best pitch is his 76-79 mph CURVEBALL that has an 11-to-5 break and is tough on righthanded hitters. It has the late break and hitters say it looks like it is coming from his back. His curve is basically just a softer version of his slider. Wade also has an 82-85 mph CHANGEUP has good fade, but he needs more consistent location with it.

Wade is better when he keeps his heater at around 90-93 mph. That is when it has the best movement.

From 2013 to 2015, Miley could be penciled in for 200 innings, something you can say about few other big league starting pitchers these days.

2017 Changes: Miley has pretty much scrapped his slider and changeup and become primarily a cutter-curveball pitcher.

2016 Season Pitch Usage: 4-seam Fastball: 31% of the time; Sinker 20.2% of the time; Change 18.2%; Slider 16%; Curve 11.4% of the time; Cutter 3.5% of the time.

2017 Season Pitch Usage: 4-seam Fastball 22% of the time; Sinker 31.5%; Change 10.8%; Slider 13.7%; Curve  10.3% of the time; and Cutter 11.8%of the time.

2018 Season Pitch Usage: 4-seam Fastball: 11.8% of the time; Sinker 8.1%; Change 16.2%; Slider 2.6%; his Curve 18.7%; and Cutter 42.6% of the time. Average velocity: 4-seam 91.8 mph, Sinker 90.7, Change 81.4, Slider 81.8, Curve 76 mph, and Cutter 88 mph.

2019 Season Pitch Usage: 4-seam Fastball: 16.2% of the time; Sinker 6%; Change 20.5%; Slider 1%; his Curve 9.4%; and Cutter 47% of the time. Average velocity: 4-seam 91.1 mph, Sinker 89.7, Change 81.4, Slider 81.8, Curve 75.8 mph, and Cutter 87.5 mph.

2020 Season Pitch Usage: 4-seam Fastball: 10.2% of the time; Sinker 3.9%; Change 23.5%; Slider 2.1%; his Curve 10.9%; and Cutter 49.5% of the time. Average velocity: 4-seam 90.7 mph, Sinker 89.9, Change 82.5, Slider 81.6, Curve 75.3 mph, and Cutter 86.3 mph.

2022 Season Pitch Usage: Cutter 42.4% - 85.3 mph; Change 31.3% - 81.5 mph; Fastball 14.7% - 89.2 mph; Slider 6.5% - 79 mph; Curve 2.8% 73.5 mph; Sinker 2.3% - 88.4 mph.

Wade has a smooth, mechanically-sound delivery. It is a clean arm action. He throws across his body a little bit, making him tough on lefthanded hitters. He hides the ball well, coming from a high three-quarters arm slot.

Miley pitches to all four quadrants of the strike zone. He throws strikes and pitches to contact.

Wade has good mound presence. (Spring 2015)

In late 2011, Miley walked a batter every two innings in his first trip to the Majors. So the next season, he decided avoidance was the better option.

"It's a little stressful when you look up and there are bases loaded and one out. It was like ‘How did I get myself here?’ I feel a whole lot better not being there,” Miley said.

In 2012, Miley went 16-11, 3.33 in 195 innings this season. And he was among the NL leaders in fewest walks per nine innings, averaging a meager 1.71. This put him in Cliff Lee and Mark Buehrle territory. That does not surprise J.J. Putz, who pitched with Buehrle on the 2010 White Sox.

“He probably throws a little bit harder (than Buehrle), but he has that little cutter, little slider, changeup,” Putz said. “The tempo is what reminds me of Mark a lot. He’s just very quick. No nonsense. He just gets on the rubber and (says) ‘Let’s go.’ Sometimes the other team has to slow him down a little bit.

“Kind of squirrelly—he’s a lefty. But the kid is tough as nails.”  (Jack Magruder-Baseball America-10/30/12)

2013: Catcher Miguel Montero knew Miley was special.

"I saw that hunger on his face and he was fearless, so it caught my eye," Montero said, thinking back to 2012 spring training when he first saw Wade. He knew he would be a good big league pitcher.

"He ain't afraid of nothing," Montero continued. "He just goes out there and goes after any hitter. Guys who try to pitch around guys or are scared to get hit get into trouble. He wasn't scared of any of that. It shocked me, because when you see that on somebody's face you have to keep your eyes on them because he's a guy you should be afraid of as a hitter."  (Steve Gilbert-MLB.com-3/20/13)

2016: Wade is a workhorse lefthander. He knows his stuff is not good enough to live within the strike zone, so he endeavors to get hitters to chase. And he does get a lot of swings-and-misses. (May 2016)

April 30, 2016: Miley put all the pieces together with his first career shutout in a command performance against the Royals; and Seattle topped the defending World Series champs, 6-0, at Safeco Field.

2018 Improvements: Miley added a new cut fastball.

2019 Season: Miley, 33, spent the season with the Astros and went 14-6 with a 3.98 ERA in 33 starts and 167 1/3 innings.

A would-be superlative season cratered in the second half, however. After being third in ERA among American League starters going into August – and having a 2.99 ERA through Aug. 9 – he posted an 8.69 ERA over his final nine starts that included three in which he lasted an inning or less.

It turns out that Wade was tipping his pitches in September 2019, especially his fastball and changeup. A former teammate revealed that to Miley after his team pounded Wade. So he has already repaired that.

NO-HITTER

May 7, 2021:  Reds pitcher Wade Miley was sporting an Incredible Hulk temporary tattoo on his right forearm. His 4-year-old son, Jeb, gave it to him during the off-day.

Miley went out and pitched like a superhero for Cincinnati. Working at his trademark quick pace, the left-hander made easy work of the Cleveland lineup when he threw a no-hitter for a 3-0 Reds win at Progressive Field.

"I got no muscles at all, I'm shriveled up. But maybe this gave me some strength. I don't know, it was fun," Miley said. "I'm going to try to get my wife to order as many Hulk tattoos as she can. Maybe I'll just slap one on there before every start. My son put this on. He had to put it right here on my forearm. I wanted to put it on my shoulder so I could hide it. He had to have it on my forearm, and that's what we went with. He loves The Avengers and stuff like that. I'm rocking it."

Miley took a perfect game into the sixth inning and after that bid ended, he kept going to notch the fourth no-hitter in the Major Leagues this season, joining Joe Musgrove, Carlos Rodón, and John Means. It's the second no-no this week (Means) and the second time this season the Indians have been no-hit (Rodón). (M Sheldon - MLB.com - May 8, 2021)

May 7, 2021: Wade believes the Incredible Hulk helped him in his no-hitter against Cleveland.

The Reds left-hander said he pitched the game with a temporary tattoo of the Incredible Hulk on his forearm, which was a gift from his 4-year-old son Jeb before he left for Cleveland. 

"I'm gonna try to get my wife to order as many Hulk tattoos as she can," Miley said after the outing, according to Dave Clark of the Cincinnati Enquirer. "Maybe I'll just slap them on before every start — let (Jeb) do it." Reds outfielder Nick Castellanos said Miley should get a permanent tattoo of the Incredible Hulk on his arm after throwing a no-hitter, but the veteran isn't interested in doing so because he's "so scared of needles right now." (Erin Walsh)

May 10, 2021: The Reds’ Wade Miley took home the NL Player of the Week Award. It was his first selection. Miley’s May 7 no-no, also the first of his career, was perfect through five, with his only baserunners coming on an error and a walk in the sixth. It was also nearly foiled by the opposing starter, Cleveland’s Zach Plesac, who matched him with eight shutout innings before the Reds scored three off of the Indians’ bullpen, allowing Miley to finish off his performance with an eight-pitch ninth.

2021 Season:  Miley was the best pitcher on the Reds. He made 28 starts and led the team in ERA with a 3.37 mark in his 163.0 innings. His WAR, according to Baseball Reference, also led the pitching staff as well as the entire team (position players included).

Ever since Wade Miley learned the cutter back in 2018, he’s made 81 starts and 2 relief appearances and posted a 3.53 ERA in 425 innings pitched. The two seasons prior to that saw him post a 5.48 ERA in 62 starts. The cutter turned his career around and he hasn’t looked back.  (Doug Gray - 10/28/2021)

2022 Season:  Injuries limited him to just eight starts with the Cubs this year, although he was effective with a 3.16 ERA. The 36-year-old lefty has a deep arsenal of pitches, but he doesn’t strike out many hitters, and walks can be an issue.

June 24, 2023: Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Wade Miley learned a new grip on his sinker by watching LSU superstar Paul Skenes in the College World Series. (Tyler Koerth)

Wade played center field in high school. He fields his position well around the pitcher's mound.

Miley is a good hitter.

And he holds runners on base well.

June 2009: Miley went on the D.L. with a sprained left foot. He was reactivated a couple of weeks later.

April 8-25, 2011: Wade was diagnosed with a strained rotator cuff after leaving a start for the Double-A Mobile BayBears (SL-D'Backs).

June 13-29, 2016: Wade was on the DL with left shoulder impingement.

March 30-April 9, 2017: Wade began the season on the DL due to an illness.

March 22, 2018: Miley was on the DL and will be shut down at least two weeks after an MRI scan revealed a slight muscle tear. 

May 9-July 12, 2018: Wade was on the DL with left oblique strain.

July 28-Aug 12, 2020:  The Reds placed Wade on the 10-day injured list with a strained left groin.

"The way it was explained to me was that he didn't feel 100 percent and didn't feel great during his start,” Bell said. “I think in the hours and days following that, it got worse, and he determined the groin was going to affect the way he pitched. So very cautious but smart move, because as we know, one injury can lead to another.”

Aug 28, 2020: Wade was on the IL.

May 21-31, 2021: Wade was on the IL with left foot sprain.

Sept 22-Oct 5, 2021: Wade was on the IL with neck strain.

April 1-June 8, 2022: Riley began the season on the IL. Cubs manager David Ross noted that the veteran Miley has been dealing with a left elbow issue this spring. A recent MRI revealed inflammation and the lefty will be shut down from throwing for a minimum of 10 days. There is no timetable for Miley's return, but a typical pitcher's build-up program might delay him until April or May.

May 4, 2022: Miley is scheduled to begin a Minor League rehab assignment with Triple-A Iowa on against St. Paul on the road. The lefty played catch, following a bullpen session that went well in Milwaukee. The specific timetable for his return to the Cubs' rotation remains unannounced. Prior to the bullpen session, Miley stretched out in a live batting practice session on April 27, throwing 46 pitches with three pauses to simulate inning breaks. 

May 6, 2022: Miley logged four shutout innings for Triple-A Iowa in his first Minor League rehab start since the elbow injury that flared during Spring Training. The veteran lefty threw 41 pitches (28 strikes), struck out three, gave up two hits and issued zero walks in a road outing against St. Paul.  

June 10-Sept 6, 2022: The Cubs placed veteran lefty Wade Miley on the 15-day injured list with a left shoulder strain.

May 17-June 17, 2023: Wade was on the IL with left lat strain. Miley felt a grab behind his left shoulder during the second inning of his start against the Cardinals and was back in Milwaukee for an MRI scan. 

"Definitely, Wade is going to have multiple opinions on this," said Brewers manager Craig Counsell, who doesn't expect to know more about a timeline for Miley's absence until this weekend at the very earliest.

May 19, 2023: Further testing revealed a unique diagnosis for Miley: a strain to one of the muscles near his left shoulder that is relatively uncommon for throwers. Said manager Craig Counsell, "I think we're looking at probably eight-ish weeks. That's how you treat a muscle strain. Because this is more on the unknown side, there's going to be some wiggle room there."

Miley expressed frustration because he felt significantly improved since exiting his start against the Cardinals in St. Louis on Tuesday. The revised diagnosis came after he traveled to Milwaukee for an MRI scan, then flew back to St. Louis that night to rejoin the team.

"They say it's not something that's very common in baseball," Miley said. "[Brewers head physician William] Raasch was like, 'I've never seen something like this before.' They said this is good news, but I base all my good news off the timeline."

July 17-Aug 2, 2023: Wade was on the IL with left elbow discomfort. 

March 13, 2024: LHP Wade Miley has delayed spring training activities with left shoulder soreness. He threw 21 pitches in one inning in a simulated game on a back field at the Brewers’ complex.  

“He is on a little bit of an accelerated program, but we need to be careful,” said manager Pat Murphy, again saying Miley was “50-50” for Opening Day March 28.

March 25-April 10, 2024: Miley was on the IL with left shoulder impingement.

April 19, 2024: Miley was on the IL with left elbow inflammation.

April 26, 2024: Further testing of Miley’s sore left elbow revealed an unfortunate diagnosis: The 37-year-old has a torn UCL and needs Tommy John surgery which will end his season. Miley acknowledged that a long-term injury at this stage of his career could mean the end, but said he would like to rehab with an eye toward pitching in 2025. 

May 7, 2024: The left-hander's hybrid  TJ surgery with Dr. Timothy Kremchek was completed in Cincinnati.

March 18, 2025: 'Throwback' Miley breezes through critical step in Tommy John recovery.  For the first time in nearly a year, and since he had Tommy John surgery on his left elbow, Reds pitcher Wade Miley was facing hitters again on Tuesday. A guy who never needed pitch timers to work fast, Miley had a quicker pace even for him and didn't waste time savoring each pitch. It was actually about 20 pitches to hitters TJ Friedl, Jeimer Candelario and Stuart Fairchild with Jose Trevino catching, but it was all done in just about five minutes.