Brewers manager Craig Counsell said Wednesday that Miley (groin) won't throw for at least two weeks, meaning the southpaw won't crack the team's Opening Day rotation, Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports.
Even if the discomfort in Miley's groin area completely subsides in the next two weeks, he would still likely require an additional two weeks beyond that to build up to the point of being ready to start games. As such, Miley is realistically looking at around a month-long absence, in a best-case scenario. The injury is inconvenient timing for a pitcher who was making a compelling case for a starting spot, and now muddles his future with the Brewers. If Miley isn't released before Saturday, he would be owed a $100,000 retention bonus while he continues to rehab under team supervision. It's also conceivable that the team could release Miley and re-sign him to another minor-league contract at a later date, though the Brewers would run the risk of him electing to sign with another club.