The Padres are in a strange spot as the trade deadline nears. At 55-53, they’ve played their way into buyer territory, but their thin farm system leaves them with limited ways to patch the roster.
That reality has pushed Mason Miller into the center of the conversation. If San Diego decides it has to deal from the big-league club to address holes, Miller would be the first name other teams circle. He’s easily the organization’s most valuable trade chip, and a return for the 27-year-old could be enormous.
Still, there’s a catch: the Padres probably need him if they want to make a real postseason push.
That’s why Bob Nightengale of USA Today thinks Miller will eventually be moved, just not before the Aug. 3 deadline. In Nightengale’s view, the more likely path is an offseason trade.
"The Padres, who bought Juan Soto one trade deadline, and dumped him 1½ years later, are in the same predicament," Nightengale wrote.
"They’d love to keep Miller, who’s under control through 2029, but his value is closing out games for a championship contender. ... Now, the Padres have to face reality and ask themselves if they’re a legitimate playoff team.
"The decision: They decide to keep Miller for now, but then trade him during the winter, creating a fierce bidding war."
Miller has become one of the most sought-after names on the market, and it’s easy to see why. He’s been lights-out for San Diego, putting up a 0.79 ERA over 45.2 innings with 85 strikeouts. He’s also been flawless in the ninth inning, going 28-for-28 in save chances.
But the Padres’ bigger problem is staring them in the face every fifth day. Their starting pitching has been rough, ranking 26th in ERA at 4.66 and 29th in quality starts with just 18.
Right now, San Diego is leaning heavily on Michael King and Walker Buehler. Beyond that, the rotation picture gets shaky fast, with the club essentially operating with an 11-man bullpen and several arms being asked to cover multiple innings.
Help is supposed to be coming. Nick Pivetta and Joe Musgrove are on the way back, but the Padres can’t reasonably expect either one to carry a huge workload right away after injury layoffs.
Musgrove is working back from Tommy John surgery in October 2024, while Pivetta is on the 60-day injured list with a right elbow flexor strain. Pivetta recently threw live batting practice and is aiming for a minor league rehab assignment in early August, with Musgrove not far behind.
Even with those reinforcements trending back, the Padres still need at least one more starting pitcher if they’re serious about chasing October this season. Nightengale just doesn’t think Miller is the one they’ll move to get it.
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