Brewers: Top “One Year Wonders” In Franchise History

2. Wade Miley – 2018

Signing as a Minor League free agent in 2018, Wade Miley was able to make it out into the big league rotation for the beginning of the season. However, he would miss the first three months of the 2018 season due to an oblique injury. Although 2016 and 2017 showed Miley with ERA’s over 5.00, once 2018 came around, something clicked in him and he was able to get that ERA down to 2.57 and help bring the Brewers to the postseason.

Miley made 16 starts with the Milwaukee Brewers, and was probably the best pitcher the Crew had for the postseason, pitching 14 innings, only allowing two runs in his four postseason starts.

However, all good things come to an end and Wade Miley just couldn’t find a team that was interested in what he had to give, feeling that 2018 was just a lucky year for him. In 2019, Miley would go down to Houston and post a 3.28 ERA in the first half of the season and quickly fall to a 16.68 in September, leaving him off the ALCS and World Series roster. He’s now with the Cincinnati Reds, and we have yet to see how he’s going to perform.

1. Jim Henderson – 2013

As covered in a Brewers Flashback, Jim Henderson really only had one good year and that was his 2013 season with the Milwaukee Brewers. Making his Major League debut at 29, Henderson saved 28 games and posted a 2.70 ERA. When Henderson was healthy, he was a force to be reckoned with. He pitched a total of 60 innings, only allowing 18 runs and struck out 75 batters.

Offered another closing position in 2014, it was revealed that Henderson was dealing with shoulder inflammation and it would send him on the 15 day DL, then was sent to the 60-day, and then would miss the rest of the 2014 season due to shoulder surgery in August of that year. He bounced around a little bit, including a 2016 stint with the Mets for 44 appearances before circling back to his original team.

He was offered a minor league contract in 2018 by the Brewers and he was assigned to the Double-A Biloxi Shuckers, but was then placed on the injured list in September. In 2019, he spent the season with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers in Appleton as their pitching coach and is now the pitching coach for Class Triple-A San Antonio.

What do you think? Are there any not mentioned on this list that deserve recognition?