The San Diego Padres are facing a dilemma heading into Major League Baseball’s trade deadline.
The Padres boast the best closer in baseball, but trading Mason Miller would be the team’s best chance of acquiring starting pitching. MLB insider Jeff Passan confirmed the Padres are open to trading Miller, but only on one condition.
“The Padres have told teams that if you want access to Mason Miller, then nobody is off limits in your organization,” Passan said on his podcast.
The All-Star closer is coveted for many reasons, primarily for the Cy Young-caliber performance Miller has put together this season. The right-hander is sporting a 0.82 ERA across 43.2 innings with 80 strikeouts.
Moreover, Miller is a free agent after the 2029 season, which makes him all the more valuable on the trade market.
The New York Yankees have been heavily linked to Miller, but it’s unclear how badly the team truly wants the reliever given the Padres’ requirements to strike a deal.
The Padres’ message to interested teams have caused some suitors to reconsider, though Passan expects San Diego’s front office to hear from them again by Monday’s deadline.
“That is a tack that some teams have said, ‘You know what, we’re gonna pump the brakes on this now,’” Passan said. “I would anticipate that those teams will check back in toward the end of this week as the Monday deadline approaches.”
Nearly a year ago, the Padres won the deadline by acquiring Miller from the Athletics in exchange for top prospect Leo De Vries and three other minor league players. It seems more realistic that the Padres would trade Miller in the offseason, rather than the deadline.
Yet it’s also worth noting the Padres are 1.5 games back of a NL Wild Card spot, so the team’s playoff hopes are still alive.
Preller is known for making bold, and arguably crazy, moves in the summer. This could be another wild trade deadline for the Padres, but it remains to be seen which players will be involved in the transactions.
Passan’s remarks, however, confirm there’s a chance Miller could be on the move.
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