The White Sox are in a spot where bold ideas suddenly make sense.
Sitting atop the AL Central with the Cleveland Guardians right there with them, Chicago looks like a club that could be in the market for real help at the 2026 MLB trade deadline. Catching has already been identified as a need, and a rotation upgrade or two could be on the table as well. But if the White Sox want to make the kind of move that changes the tone of a season, a high-end reliever belongs on the list too.
That’s where San Diego Padres closer Mason Miller comes in.
Jim Bowden of The Athletic called Miller the White Sox’s “perfect” trade target, and he didn’t exactly leave room for subtlety in explaining why.
"Because they have so much depth in their farm system, I believe they should try to go for it and make an overwhelming proposal to the Padres to land Miller, who is the best closer in baseball," Bowden writes.
That kind of deal would not come cheap. Bowden’s point is that Chicago has the prospect capital to at least make the Padres think, and Miller is the sort of arm that would force a contender to pay up.
The numbers tell the story. Miller is 27 and has posted a 0.89 ERA this season, along with 2.4 bWAR, 78 strikeouts and 25 saves in 41.2 innings pitched during the 2026 campaign.
For a team with bullpen questions, that’s the dream. For the White Sox, it’s also a fit that lines up with where the organization is headed.
Their farm system is already strong, and it got even better when they drafted Roch Cholowsky No. 1 overall in the 2026 MLB Draft. That gives Chicago the kind of depth that could support a major swing.
Miller is also under club control through the 2029 season, which makes him more than a short-term fix. He’d help in 2026, then keep giving the White Sox value in 2027, 2028 and 2029.
That’s the appeal here: not just a late-inning boost for this year, but a move that could shape the next few seasons as well. For a White Sox team that appears to be rising at the same time, Miller would be the kind of addition that opens the window wider.
It would still be expensive, and there’s always risk in paying so much for a closer. But if Chicago wants to signal that it’s ready to contend, this is the sort of move that would say it loud and clear.
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Former MLB general manager Jim Bowden recently pointed to Toronto as a possible fit, noting that the Blue Jays could have reason to move a veteran starter who is headed for free agency after the season. For San Diego, the appeal would be less about splash and more about reliability, especially if the front office believes it can turn a late-summer addition into October insurance. [Read more 🡒]
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Padres May Have Found The Spark Their Lineup Desperately Needed
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The early returns have been encouraging because the Padres have needed exactly this kind of contribution from the bottom and middle of the lineup mix. Rengifo has handled second base and left field, and he has enough defensive range to cover several other spots if needed, which only adds to the appeal. The bigger question is whether this stretch is a true turning point or just a hot run that can keep the Padres afloat for now. [Read more 🡒]