Coming off of a perfectly unnotable 2021, Hoby Milner took us by surprise by becoming one of the most dependable members of the Brewers bullpen through the 2022 season. He got the most work in his 6 season career to date, making 67 appearances. This season also marked his best season ERA since his 2017 rookie season with the Phillies.
2022 Season Grade: B+
A few rough outings, mostly in August, brought Milner’s season ERA to 3.76. Early this season, he boasted a 9-game scoreless streak before losing it in his first game of July. He also held an ERA as low as 1.89 midseason.
Most impressively, Milner led the National League with the lowest percentage of inherited runners allowed to score. Out of his 37 runners inherited, he allowed just 5, or a stunning 13.5%, to score all season. This led to Milner becoming a trusted middle innings reliever in high-leverage situations and usually completing the job.
Another record Hoby Milner owns from this season? Most career games played before earning a decision. He earned a win on April 11, his 96th game and first career decision. While this record is less relevant to Milner’s performance improvements this season, it’s an interesting piece of MLB history with his name on it.
However, those occasions where Milner slipped up tended to be pretty monumental moments. While that’s arguably on the whole team, not just Milner, it does mean that his consistency has room to grow, especially in high-stakes situations.
Pro: Milner bounced back from these meltdown appearances pretty quickly. After he snapped his 9-game scoreless streak, he struck out both batters faced in his next appearance. This bodes well for his performance in the upcoming season.
Moving Forward
Hoby Milner should be with the Brewers for a while, which gives him plenty of time to settle into his role as a trusted reliever. He’s arbitration-eligible this year, but he doesn’t become a free agent until 2026, at 35 years old.
In summary, Milner’s 2022 season exceeded expectations. As a result, he saw an increased role out of the bullpen and we will likely continue to see that moving forward.
To keep up with the rest of our 2022 report cards, click here.
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