Wade Miley will undergo Tommy John surgery and miss the remainder of the Milwaukee Brewers’ 2024 season after suffering a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow.
Signed to a one-year, $12 million deal during the off-season, the veteran left-hander began the year on the injured list thanks to shoulder soreness that popped up during Spring Training. Miley made his season debut at Cincinnati on April 10, allowing just a run over four innings of work but gave up four runs over three innings in his next outing against the Padres, which turned out to be his last of the season.
Milwaukee put Miley on the 15-day IL on April 22 (retroactive to April 19) with inflammation in his left elbow after he reported soreness during his between-starts throwing program.
“I thought it was getting better,” Miley said at the time. “Some of the swelling got out of there. Threw a little bit yesterday. It wasn’t great. Then tried to go throw today. Was kind of the same deal. Hopefully can take some time and get it figured out.”
When the situation didn’t improve, Miley went in for further testing which revealed the torn UCL.
“I knew it was a different pain than I was dealing with the last couple years,” he said. “But it doesn’t really hurt that bad. That’s the weird part. I thought UCL damage would be more painful; I’ve seen videos of dudes blowing out that looked like it hurt. I never really got to that. It was just discomfort.
“I don’t know how long it’s been messed up. I know I haven’t felt right, really, since spring training. At what point it happened? I can’t take you to a pitch, can’t take you to a moment. It just is what it is.”
Injuries are nothing new for Miley, who’s landed on the injured list nine times in the 11 seasons but this marks just the second time he’s been sidelined by an elbow injury and the first time that he’ll need to undergo surgery.
When he’s healthy, though, he’s been about as reliable as it gets. The numbers may not always be dominant, but Miley’s consistency has been a invaluable commodity, especially on team with so much inexperience.
“Wade has always battled and he’s had a lot of ailments but he always toes the rubber and gives you a great effort,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said before his team opened a three-game series against the Yankees Friday evening at American Family Field. “He gives great effort every time out and he’s such a great example (for his teammates).
“When one of those guys goes down, it just hurts. You feel for him because he cares so much. He’ll do anything he can to hep the Brewers this year and believe me, he will help.”
Miley’s injury is just the latest blow to a pitching staff that Murphy called a “worn in progress” as the season began.
After going into camp already without ace Corbin Burnes, who was dealt to Baltimore, and veteran right-hander Brandon Woodruff to a shoulder injury that will sideline him until 2025, Milwaukee Miley and All-Star closer Devin Williams during spring training, Milwaukee has since sent starters DL Hall (sprained knee) and Jakob Junis (right shoulder impingement and neck injury) and relievers Taylor Clarke (right knee tear) and J.B. Bukauskas (right shoulder inflammation) to the injured list.
What the Brewers lacked in experience, they made up for in depth but not even a month into the season, that depth has been tested.
“There’s a limit to depth,” Murphy said. “We’ve lost a lot of guys this year. By my count, nine of our top 16 pitchers are out so we’re having to fill in with guys who we had no idea would be in the big leagues and that’s a challenge but at the same time, it’s a great opportunity.”
Tobias Myers falls into that category. The longtime minor-leaguer was impressive in making his big-league debut earlier this week against the Pirates and will take the ball again Sunday against the Yankees.
The rash of injuries could also result in a first call-up for Robert Gasser. The Brewers’ No. 5 prospect made his season debut last week with Triple-A Nashville, with left-hander Aaron Ashby also an option to fill out a rotation that for now features Freddy Peralta, Joe Ross and Colin Rea.
