The San Diego Padres absolutely don't have to trade All-Star closer Mason Miller but his value is at an all-time high ahead of this year's trade deadline.
The San Diego Padres have won four games in a row and are attempting to save their season by convincing general manager A.J. Preller to buy at the Aug. 3 trade deadline.
The Padres are 1.5 games back from a playoff spot in a tight National League wild card picture and could easily find a way in with just three teams to jump, including the Pittsburgh Pirates and Washington Nationals, teams that are playing much better than expected through 108 games.
Although San Diego is playing well right now and likely comes into deadline day with an above-.500 record, it might not be enough for Preller to completely buy in to a team with one of the worst offenses in baseball.
The offense has been on an upswing recently, so maybe the Padres catch lightning in a bottle and go on a run, but massive trades could be in the works if one little stretch doesn’t do it for Preller.
The New York Yankees, among many other teams, are extremely interested in acquiring the services of All-Star closer Mason Miller and are expected to be all-in in pursuit of the best closer in the sport.
Miller’s numbers speak for themselves – a perfect 27-for-27 in saves, 0.81 ERA, 0.81 WHIP, 83 strikeouts to 15 walks (5.5 K/BB), 16.7 K/9 and a ridiculous 0.47 FIP. He’s allowed just one extra-base hit in 44.2 innings this season.
ESPN’s Jorge Castillo mapped out the perfect and ideal trade deadline for the Yankees, with the top move being a trade for Miller.
“Adding him would slide the Yankees' high-leverage relievers – [David] Bednar, Brent Headrick, Fernando Cruz and Paul Blackburn -- down the pecking order as they look to shorten games in October,” Castillo wrote Wednesday.
It would cost a lot to get Miller, especially because of his three years of control following this season, but most compensation packages would be worth the most effective reliever in Major League Baseball.
“The Yankees probably won't budge on adding top prospect George Lombard Jr. in any trade, but these front offices linked up for the Juan Soto blockbuster in December 2023, and the Yankees can offer what the Padres desire most: A good major league starting pitcher with years of control (Will Warren or Ryan Weathers), plus prospects.”
If I’m Preller, I would need Lombard in the deal. You paid a massive price to the Athletics in MLB’s No. 2 prospect Leo De Vries to acquire Miller last year and bringing in the No. 20 prospect is a great starting point.
Remember – the Padres don’t need to move Miller by any means. If the Yankees aren’t willing to give up Lombard, Castillo says to expect New York to be in on lefty Adrian Morejon as an excellent consolation prize.
