The Padres’ slide has opened up a question that would have sounded unthinkable a few weeks ago: if San Diego keeps tumbling, could Mason Miller become a trade chip?
That idea is now out there because the Padres have gone from playoff hopeful to a team in real danger of flipping into seller mode. They’ve dropped eight straight at one point, lost 10 of their last 15, and sit at 46-48, 14.5 games behind the NL West-leading Dodgers. That’s a brutal turn for a club that has spent the last several seasons trying to stay in the race.
If the Padres do change course before the deadline, Miller would be the kind of player who could bring back the biggest return. The All-Star closer has been one of the few undeniable bright spots on the roster, and contenders looking for bullpen help would line up for him.
Former MLB general manager Jim Bowden thinks San Diego should at least listen.
"That would be an AJ Preller-type of move if you could turn Mason Miller into three or four pieces for long term because I think they have that many needs," Bowden said.
Bowden specifically pointed to the Yankees as a team worth discussing a deal with.
"If you took a World Series contending type team like the Yankees, who I think desperately need another back-end impact guy. Can you get three or four pieces from them?
Can you get a starting pitcher, an outfielder, a reliever?" Bowden said.
"It might make sense with the number of holes this team has."
San Diego acquired Miller from the Athletics last season, viewing him as a bullpen upgrade and part of the push to keep its World Series window open. He’s delivered exactly what they hoped on the mound. In 58 appearances with the Padres, the 27-year-old has posted a 0.89 ERA with 114 strikeouts and 25 saves in 61 innings.
Still, the results around him haven’t matched his production, and if the Padres continue to fall back, the front office could decide that turning one elite arm into multiple future pieces is the smarter play.
Miller, though, isn’t buying into the noise.
“It’s not real,”Miller said. “It’s just rumors that aren’t based on fact.”
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Padres Suddenly Tied To The Biggest Trade Names On The Market
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The Twins Byron Buxton and Joe Ryan are among the most notable names tied to San Diego, which is enough to signal the kind of move the Padres are at least exploring. Whether Preller actually pulls the trigger is another matter, but the idea of the Padres circling premium talent this early is a reminder that they could be one of the more aggressive buyers before the deadline arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Padres Just Sent A Frustrating Message With This Roster Decision
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San Diego, meanwhile, chose a different path and signed Luis Rengifo to a minor league deal instead. Rengifo has been swinging it well at Triple-A, and the Padres are clearly hoping that form translates if they need help in the near term, but the swap still leaves Reyes as the more curious departure for a club trying to manage every bit of roster flexibility it can find. [Read more 🡒]
Jackson Merrill Just Reopened A Painful Padres What-If
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For the Padres, the sting is amplified by where the lineup sits at the moment. The club has been battling through one of the weakest offensive profiles in baseball, and Woods rise only sharpens the contrast between what was moved and what was left behind. Merrills perspective matters here because he knows Wood well, and watching a former teammate thrive elsewhere has a way of keeping the old trade debate alive a little longer. [Read more 🡒]