Miley needs Tommy John surgery, but determined to return in '25

MILWAUKEE -- At 37 years old and in his 14th season in the big leagues, Wade Miley is about to experience a first he’d hoped to avoid -- and one that he knows could end his career.

“My first time going under the knife,” Miley said.

The left-hander has a torn UCL in his left elbow and it’s serious enough -- “Off the bone,” he said -- that the new bracing procedure is not an option. Instead, Miley said he will need Tommy John surgery that will end his 2024 season and mean he’ll spend the next 10-12 months rehabilitating and thinking about whether he wants to keep pitching at age 38 and beyond.

At the moment, Miley intends to continue his career.

“I just have to keep my head down and move forward and find other ways to be impactful in the clubhouse and around the fellas, and at the same time working to try to get back next year,” Miley said. “That was the hardest thought when you first get the news, like, ‘Dadgum, I’m 37 years old and who knows what’s next?’

“I always said I want to go out on my own and I still feel like I’ve got more in the tank. I’m weirdly kind of excited. Let’s get this thing fixed and maybe I can pitch without pain for a little bit.”

Of Miley’s 11 stints on the injured list in the past nine seasons, only two have been for the elbow: His current one, and a month-long stretch at this time last year. But he said he’s dealt with discomfort in that elbow since at least 2018, when he first pitched for the Brewers.

This year, Miley’s left shoulder was the concern in Spring Training. But when he got back into action earlier this month, his elbow wasn’t bouncing back as expected.

“I can’t take you to a pitch, I can’t take you to a moment,” Miley said of when he thought the elbow ligament tore.

His absence is another blow to a Brewers starting rotation beset by injuries. Jakob Junis (shoulder) and DL Hall (knee) are also on the IL and Milwaukee's No. 5-ranked prospect Robert Gasser just returned from the Triple-A IL after dealing with bone spurs.

The Brewers already have employed nine different starting pitchers, most recently Bryse Wilson and rookie Tobias Myers. More starters will surely come, but Miley’s season is over. His contract includes a $12 million mutual option for 2025 with a $1.5 million buyout.

“He’s such an example for everyone else, the way he competes and how helpful he is as a teammate,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “So when one of those guys goes down, it hurts. Hearing about it, you feel for him because he cares so much. He’s going to do anything he can to help the Brewers this year, and believe me, he will help. You won’t be able to measure it, but he will help.”