Wade Miley Bio
Wade Allen Miley (born November 13, 1986) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. Over the course of his Major League Baseball (MLB) career, he has played for the Arizona Diamondbacks, Boston Red Sox, Seattle Mariners, Baltimore Orioles, Milwaukee Brewers, Houston Astros, Cincinnati Reds, and Chicago Cubs. Miley earned an All-Star selection in 2012 and threw a no-hitter against the Cleveland Indians on May 7, 2021.
Early Life and Background
Wade Allen Miley was born on November 13, 1986, in Hammond, Louisiana. He grew up in the small nearby community of Loranger, a town of roughly 6,100 residents. His father, Wendell, worked as a mechanic for 18-wheelers, and Miley developed an interest in hunting from the age of three. Growing up in Louisiana, he followed the Atlanta Braves as a young fan.
Miley attended Loranger High School, where he played baseball before continuing his career at Southeastern Louisiana University. He suited up for the Southeastern Louisiana Lions baseball team and refined his pitching craft in a competitive college environment. During the summer of 2007, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Wareham Gatemen of the Cape Cod Baseball League, where he was named a league all-star.
Path to Baseball
Miley’s strong college performance drew the attention of professional scouts, and the Arizona Diamondbacks selected him in the first round, 43rd overall, of the 2008 Major League Baseball draft. He began his professional career that summer with the Yakima Bears of the Low-A Northwest League, working his way through the minors with a steady left-handed delivery.
After several seasons of development in the Diamondbacks’ farm system, Miley was called up to the majors for the first time on August 15, 2011. He finished that debut season with a 4–2 record in eight games, including seven starts, showing enough poise to earn a rotation spot the following year.
Wade Miley Career
Arizona Diamondbacks (2011–2014)
Miley opened his rookie season strong in 2012, going 3–0 with a 1.29 earned-run average (ERA) in April to earn National League (NL) Rookie of the Month honors. He was named an NL All-Star in his first full season after starting 9–5 with a 3.04 ERA. On October 1, 2012, he pitched an immaculate inning against the Colorado Rockies, finishing the year with 16 wins, a 3.33 ERA, and 194+2⁄3 innings over 29 starts. He was voted runner-up for the National League Rookie of the Year, narrowly losing to Bryce Harper of the Washington Nationals.
After his breakout rookie year, Miley took a step back in 2013, managing 10 wins despite pitching over 200 innings. In 2014, he posted a 4.34 ERA with 183 strikeouts and an 8–12 record. The Diamondbacks then traded him to the Boston Red Sox on December 12, 2014, in exchange for pitchers Rubby De La Rosa and Allen Webster and infielder Raymel Flores.
Boston Red Sox (2015)
On February 5, 2015, Miley and the Red Sox agreed on a three-year, $19.25 million contract extension. He won his first game with Boston on April 21, 2015, throwing 5+2⁄3 shutout innings versus the Tampa Bay Rays. For the season, Miley pitched to a 4.46 ERA in 32 starts, compiling an 11–11 record with 147 strikeouts across 193+2⁄3 innings pitched.
Seattle Mariners (2016)
On December 7, 2015, the Red Sox traded Miley and Jonathan Aro to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for Roenis Elías and Carson Smith. Miley struggled during his time in Seattle, pitching to a 4.98 ERA and a 7–8 record with 82 strikeouts. In his last start for the team, he pitched seven scoreless innings against the Chicago Cubs.
Baltimore Orioles (2016–2017)
On July 31, 2016, the Mariners traded Miley to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for Ariel Miranda. He made six starts in August, pitching to a 7.14 ERA in 29 innings with a 1–3 record. Later that September, he pitched four scoreless innings against the Tampa Bay Rays before being pulled with a back injury, then took a shutout into the 9th inning against his former team, the Diamondbacks, striking out a career-high 11 batters. Miley finished 2–5 in 11 starts with a 6.17 ERA for Baltimore.
In 2017, Miley was tabbed as the Orioles’ number four starter and endured his worst full season, setting career worsts in ERA (5.61), losses (15), home runs allowed (25), and walks (93) over 157+1⁄3 innings. On July 30, 2017, he gave up Adrián Beltré’s 3,000th career hit. On November 3, 2017, the Orioles declined his 2018 option.
Milwaukee Brewers (2018)
On February 14, 2018, Miley signed a minor league contract with the Milwaukee Brewers. He began the year with the Double-A Biloxi Shuckers before being called up a couple of weeks later, landing on the 60-day disabled list with an oblique injury after two starts. After returning on July 12, he went 5–2 with a 2.57 ERA and 50 strikeouts in 16 starts. Miley also started Game 3 of the Division Series and Games 2, 5, and 6 of the NLCS. In Game 5, he faced only one hitter before being replaced, becoming only the second starter in postseason history to face a single batter and the first to do so without getting the batter out. By starting Game 6, he became the first pitcher in 88 years to start back-to-back postseason games.
Houston Astros (2019)
Miley signed a one-year contract worth $4.5 million with the Houston Astros on February 1, 2019. In 33 starts for Houston, he posted a 14–6 record with a 3.98 ERA and 140 strikeouts over 167+1⁄3 innings, but he did not make the World Series roster.
Cincinnati Reds (2020–2021)
On December 18, 2019, Miley signed a two-year contract, with a club option, worth $15 million with the Cincinnati Reds. In the COVID-19 shortened 2020 season, he went 0–3 with a 5.65 ERA in six games. On May 7, 2021, Miley threw the 17th no-hitter in Reds history, striking out eight batters while allowing only two baserunners in a 3–0 win over the Cleveland Indians. It was the fourth no-hitter of the season and the second in three days. He finished 2021 with a 12–7 record, a 3.37 ERA, and 125 strikeouts over 28 starts.
Chicago Cubs (2022)
On November 5, 2021, the Reds placed Miley on waivers, and he was claimed by the Chicago Cubs. He made only eight starts for the Cubs in 2022 due to injuries, plus one relief appearance, logging a 3.16 ERA with 28 strikeouts over 37 innings of work.
Milwaukee Brewers (2023–2024)
On January 9, 2023, Miley signed a one-year, $4.5 million deal with the Milwaukee Brewers. He made 8 starts before leaving a May 16 start against the St. Louis Cardinals with a lat injury, eventually diagnosed as a posterior serratus strain that sidelined him for 6–8 weeks. After the season, he declined the option on his contract for 2024 and became a free agent. On December 4, 2024, Miley re-signed with Milwaukee on a one-year contract worth $7 million with a mutual option for 2025. He made two starts before being placed on the injured list with left elbow inflammation. On April 26, 2024, he underwent Tommy John surgery, ending his season. On October 31, the Brewers declined his option, making him a free agent.
Cincinnati Reds (2025)
On January 29, 2025, Miley signed a minor league contract with the Cincinnati Reds. In seven starts split between the High-A Dayton Dragons and Triple-A Louisville Bats, he struggled to a 1–2 record and an 8.84 ERA. On June 1, Miley opted out of his contract and became a free agent, then re-signed with Cincinnati on a major league contract on June 4. In three appearances for Cincinnati, he posted a 1–0 record and a 6.75 ERA over 12 innings before being placed on the injured list on June 20 due to a left flexor strain. He was transferred to the 60-day injured list on July 31.
Driving Style and Strengths
Wade Allen Miley throws four main pitches with an occasional fifth. His primary arsenal features a four-seam fastball and a two-seam fastball ranging from 88 to 92 miles per hour, a slider in the 79 to 82 mph range, and a changeup to right-handed hitters in the low 80s. He occasionally mixes in a curveball in the mid-to-upper 70s, mostly against right-handers, and he favors his slider as his go-to off-speed pitch with two strikes.
Notable Events and Milestones
Miley’s most defining moments include his 2012 NL All-Star selection, an immaculate inning on October 1, 2012, against the Colorado Rockies, and a no-hitter on May 7, 2021, against the Cleveland Indians while with the Reds. He also became the first pitcher in 88 years to start back-to-back postseason games during the 2018 NLCS, facing only one batter in Game 5 in a memorable piece of postseason history.
Wade Miley Career Wins
Wade Allen Miley has put together a durable MLB career as a starting pitcher, with verified win totals highlighted below across his major league stops. His most celebrated individual achievements include his 2012 All-Star selection and his 2021 no-hitter, both of which stand out as the cornerstones of his résumé.
Major League Highlights
Miley won 16 games for the Diamondbacks in 29 starts in 2012, his career high for a single season. He posted an 11–11 record with the Red Sox in 2015, then went 7–8 with the Mariners in 2016. In 2019, he produced one of his strongest years with a 14–6 record for the Houston Astros. Miley also finished 12–7 with the Reds in 2021, the season in which he threw his no-hitter.
Other Wins and Performances
Beyond his major league rotation work, Miley went 5–2 with a 2.57 ERA in 16 starts for the Milwaukee Brewers in 2018 after returning from the disabled list. He was also a Cape Cod Baseball League all-star in 2007 while playing for the Wareham Gatemen, foreshadowing his professional success.
Wade Miley Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Wade Allen Miley was raised in Loranger, Louisiana, by his father Wendell, who worked as a mechanic for 18-wheelers. His upbringing in a small Louisiana community, combined with his early love of hunting, helped shape the grounded personality that has defined his career.
Personal Life
Wade Allen Miley is married to his wife, Katy. The couple has one child, a son who was born in September 2016. Miley currently spends his off-season on his ranch near Austin, Texas.
2025 Season Performance
Wade Allen Miley began 2025 by signing a minor league contract with the Cincinnati Reds on January 29. He pitched for both the High-A Dayton Dragons and the Triple-A Louisville Bats, recording a 1–2 mark and an 8.84 ERA in seven starts. On June 1, he opted out of that contract and became a free agent.
Three days later, on June 4, Miley re-signed with Cincinnati on a major league contract. He made three appearances, including two starts, going 1–0 with a 6.75 ERA over 12 innings. On June 20, the Reds placed him on the injured list due to a left flexor strain, and he was later transferred to the 60-day injured list on July 31, effectively ending his 2025 season. As of the latest reports, Miley is once again a free agent, with no verified team lined up for the remainder of the year.