CHICAGO (AP) — Wade Miley has opted out of his minor league contract with the Cincinnati Reds, making the veteran left-hander a free agent.
Miley, 38, is coming back from . He went 1-2 with an 8.84 ERA in seven starts at Triple-A Louisville this season.
Cincinnati had until Sunday to make a decision on Miley, who is looking for a starting opportunity. The Reds could have brought him up and put him in their bullpen.
Reds manager Terry Francona praised president of baseball operations Nick Krall for giving Miley a chance to look around.
“To throw him in the bullpen to try to keep (him) — because if we have something happen, it’s not good — but it’s not necessarily entirely fair to him, I just appreciate the way Nick handled it with him,” Francona said.
Miley, an All-Star with Arizona in 2012, is 108-99 with a 4.07 ERA in 310 starts and seven relief appearances over 14 major league seasons. He was 0-1 with a 6.43 ERA in two April starts for Milwaukee last year before he got hurt.
Francona said Miley could return to the organization if he isn’t able to find a better home in free agency.
Francona also said infielder will begin a minor league rehab assignment on Monday. The 31-year-old Candelario is coming back from a lower-back injury.
Candelario will play in some games in Arizona before moving his rehab to Louisville.
“It just seems like it helps him to be in a more controlled environment out in Arizona where they can see some pitches and then when they’ve got some under their belt, then they can go to Triple-A,” Francona said before Sunday’s series finale against the Chicago Cubs.
Candelario is batting just .113 (9 for 80) with two homers and 10 RBIs in 22 games. He signed before the 2024 season.
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