Tampa Bay Rays Could Build MLB's Best Bullpen With Mason Miller

It's been a rough start to begin the second half of the season for the Tampa Bay Rays. 

Losing 4 games in a row to a division rival is never the best medicine when you are trying to hold off teams for the AL East lead. However, things can change quickly, especially if the momentum is shifted back to Tampa Bay.

An easy way to do that? Have Eric Neander and the rest of the Rays front office make a big splash before the MLB Trade Deadline. 

One route they can take is to add some more reliable bullpen help such as San Diego Padres Mason Miller. 

Earlier this week, Bleacher Report proposed a trade involving some of the Rays top prospects to get one of the nastiest closers in the game. 

Trade Proposal: Tampa Bay Rays get RHP Mason Miller; San Diego Padres get C Caden Bodine (MLB No. 52), RHP Brody Hopkins (MLB No. 83) 

This could be a really solid trade for the Rays if the Padres were to accept that package. It doesn't take the organization's very top prospects, although you do lose two Top-100 players. 

Kevin Kelly and Bryan Baker have been solid at the backend of the bullpen. Baker even made his first All-Star appearance last week and recorded the last out to help the American League beat the National League. However, the rest of the bullpen has been suspect. 

"Their pen ranks 19th with a 4.27 ERA, and is likewise in the bottom half of MLB in strikeout percentage," said B/R writer Zachary Rymer. "With Miller, the Rays would have a better chance of not just taking the AL East crown, but getting back to the World Series. If anything, they'd become the instant favorites in the AL to do so."

Adding Miller, who has a 0.89 ERA on the season across 40.2 innings and 39 appearances, could create a '3-headed monster' to help set up and close games. Both Miller and Baker could be used as closers, meaning you would always have someone available to collect a save during the entirety of the summer, and Kelly could act as a setup man for either or both. 

Once the postseason hits, all 3 of them could be utilized at any time, based on whatever high-leverage situation the game warrants. Sounds like a dream scenario for a manager like Kevin Cash.