Red Sox: What the starting rotation looks like now

Wade Miley

Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Miley is what he is at this point. A solid, back of the rotation starter that can get you around 200 innings while pitching well enough to keep his team in the game.

His 4.46 ERA and 6.8 K/9 rate aren’t going to get anyone excited about what he brings to the table, but Miley has more value than those numbers suggest. His 3.81 FIP ranked 15th in the American League and he was 20th among qualified pitchers with a 2.5 WAR. If you’re getting that out of your No. 5 starter, you’re in pretty good shape.

Of course it’s those numbers, along with his very reasonable contract, that make Miley the most likely candidate to be traded. He’ll earn just over $15 million total over the next two seasons, plus a $12 million team option for 2018 that remains a bargain if he continues to pitch at his current level.

The Red Sox may be looking for ways to shed payroll without weakening the roster after signing Price to a record-breaking deal. Dealing Miley for prospects and replacing him in the rotation with a cheaper alternative from their deep stash of young pitchers seems like the most feasible way to do that.

If the Miley remains on the roster when the season kicks off in April, the Red Sox should have no qualms about keeping him in the rotation.

Next: What about the rest?