Report: Arizona Diamondbacks ‘listening’ to offers regarding Wade Miley

The Arizona Diamondbacks may not be done making deals.

They already traded catcher Miguel Montero to the Chicago Cubs for a pair of prospects, and now their attention looks to be on shaking up the starting rotation.

The Arizona #Dbacks are now trying to reduce payroll to $90 million; listening to offers for Wade Miley.

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) December 10, 2014

The 28-year-old Miley is coming off a season in which he posted an 8-12 record with a 4.34 ERA. He struck out 183 and walked 75 in 201.1 innings pitched.

Since becoming a fixture in the D-backs’ rotation in 2012, Miley has logged far more innings than any pitcher in Sedona red and he currently ranks seventh in innings pitched on the franchise’s all-time list.

Miley is entering his first year of arbitration eligibility and MLBTradeRumors.com projects he’ll command a salary of $4.3 million in 2015. Since he won’t be a free agent until after the 2017 season, it seems unlikely that a trade of Miley would be incited by financial obligations to the pitcher.

One potential reason for a move of Miley, on the contrary, would be to acquire catching depth in the wake of the D-backs’ parting with Montero.

Following the acquisition of 24-year-old Robbie Ray last week, the D-backs also seem to have a surplus of left-handed starting pitchers on their roster. Along with Miley and Ray, the D-backs got serviceable work from Vidal Nuno last season and they await Patrick Corbin’s return from Tommy John surgery. Another southpaw, 24-year-old Andrew Chafin, made his big league debut for Arizona last season.

Multiple reports link the Miami Marlins, Texas Rangers and Boston Red Sox as potential trade partners for the D-backs should they look to deal Miley.

As things progressed on Wednesday, both the Marlins and Red Sox were reportedly involved in conversations with the D-backs regarding Miley.

The Marlins and Rangers were ruled out by FoxSports.com’s Ken Rosenthal.

Sources: #Marlins, #Rangers out on Miley. Process of elimination points to #RedSox unless another team is involved.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 10, 2014

Marlins beat writer Clark Spencer also reported that Miami and Arizona were close to a deal, but it fell through.

#Marlins thought they were close to deal for Miley but #dbacks pulled out.

— clarkspencer (@clarkspencer) December 10, 2014

And, as Rosenthal suggested, the Red Sox and D-backs may have then had discussions, as FoxSports.com’s Jon Paul Morosi tweeted, but there were conflicting reports on that front. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale says there was no such engagement.

#RedSox and #DBacks are close to a deal that will send Wade Miley to Boston, source says.

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) December 10, 2014

Two officials from the #Redsox and #Dbacks say there are no active trade discussions involving a potential Wade Miley trade.

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) December 10, 2014

Follow @AZSports