For Yankees fans hoping for a last-minute bullpen upgrade, Mason Miller keeps looking like the dream target - and the latest buzz out of the market makes that dream feel a lot less realistic.
The San Diego Padres closer has been floated as the kind of arm that could instantly change a relief corps, but ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez delivered the kind of update New York supporters won’t want to hear. He said it would be a “shock” if Miller is traded before Monday’s deadline.
“Things can change quickly this time of year, especially with A.J. Preller, but at this point, according to teams in the market for relievers, it would be a shock if the San Diego Padres traded Mason Miller before Monday's deadline,” Gonzalez reports.
That’s a strong signal, especially with so many clubs sniffing around for bullpen help. ESPN’s Jeff Passan and Kiley McDaniel already had Miller at just a 20% chance of being dealt, and for the Yankees, that number would figure to be even slimmer.
The appeal is obvious. Miller has put together a monster season, posting 2.7 bWAR with a 0.79 ERA, a 3-1 record, 28 saves, and 85 strikeouts in 45.2 innings. Right now, he’s the best closer in baseball, with Toronto Blue Jays’ Louis Varland and maybe Philadelphia Phillies’ Jhoan Duran as the only real challengers in that conversation.
He’s also only 27 and a two-time All-Star, and he’s under club control through 2029. If the Yankees somehow landed him, they’d be locking in their closer for the next 3.5 seasons.
But the latest read from around the league points in the other direction. When multiple MLB clubs looking for bullpen help are saying a trade would be a “shock,” that doesn’t exactly scream movement is coming.
So for now, New York may need to keep searching elsewhere. Still, until the Monday, August 3, 6:00 p.m. trade deadline actually passes, the possibility of a stunner from A.J. Preller and Brian Cashman is alive.
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Yankees Deadline Push Now Hinges On One Catching Upgrade
The Yankees are still trying to make one more meaningful move before the deadline, and the most interesting part of their search has centered on catcher. They want a right-handed bat behind the plate, a sensible fit for a roster that is already being pushed toward added bullpen help and another right-handed hitter elsewhere, and they have not been shy about working the market with that kind of urgency.
Tyler Stephenson, Adley Rutschman and Ryan Jeffers have all come up as possible answers, which shows how broad the search has become and how competitive the market is likely to be. For a club intent on upgrading in more than one spot, the catching pursuit may end up shaping how the rest of the deadline unfolds, especially if the front office has to decide how far it wants to go to land the right fit. [Read more 🡒]
Yankees May Have A Trade Answer For Their Injury Hit Lineup
The Yankees lineup has been strained by the injuries to Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger, and the front office has been doing what it can to survey a thin trade market for help. Catchers and infielders are scarce in particular, which makes the search more difficult and pushes the conversation toward whatever productive bats might actually become available before the deadline.
One name worth watching is Randy Arozarena, a player the Yankees know well enough to appreciate as a possible fit in a lineup looking for more punch. The Seattle outfielder has put together strong offensive numbers this season, and his situation could make him one of the more interesting names to track if New York decides it needs to act on the market rather than wait for reinforcements from within. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Fans Just Got A Yankees Trade Twist To Process
The Yankees are adding another wrinkle to their infield and batting-order picture, with ESPNs Jeff Passan reporting they are reportedly trading for Nationals first baseman Luis Garcia Jr. It is the kind of move that immediately invites lineup speculation because Garcia gives New York another capable left-handed bat, and any extra offense around the middle of the order tends to matter in October-minded planning.
But the fit is not as simple as just slotting in one more name and moving on. Garcias arrival adds depth, yet it also brings a real juggling act for the Yankees as they try to sort out playing time and keep the lineup balanced without creating unnecessary friction on the bench. The upside is obvious, but the next question is how New York makes all of the pieces work once everyone is actually in the mix. [Read more 🡒]