The Yankees are heading toward the trade deadline with multiple needs, but the bullpen is the spot that keeps rising to the top. New York can shop the rental market, sure, but there’s a much bigger swing available if they want to truly change the shape of their relief corps.
According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, the Yankees reportedly “crave” a trade for San Diego Padres closer Mason Miller this summer. Nightengale wrote, “The Yankees are desperate for a backup catcher and have their eyes on Ryan Jeffers from the Minnesota Twins, crave All-Star closer Mason Miller of the San Diego Padres, and would love to find another bat.”
Miller has been one of the most overpowering relievers in baseball, and this season he’s taken that level even higher. He owns a 0.86 ERA with 25 saves in 41.2 innings, along with 78 strikeouts and 2.4 bWAR as a reliever.
For a Yankees team that needs bullpen help, Miller would be the kind of addition that stands out immediately. Nightengale’s report makes it clear New York is seriously interested if San Diego is willing to listen.
The price would be steep. Miller is under club control through the 2029 season, and that kind of control drives up the cost in any trade. But the Yankees are in position to chase a World Series in a wide-open American League, and that gives them reason to pay up if the opportunity is there.
There’s also a familiar trade path between these two teams. The Yankees have dealt with the Padres before, most notably in the Juan Soto blockbuster a few years ago. This would be a tougher deal to pull off, but it’s the kind of move New York should at least push hard to explore.
In Other News...
Padres Bullpen Shakeup Just Raised The Stakes For A Fringe Contender
A one-run loss to Atlanta only sharpened the scrutiny around a Padres bullpen that has already been in motion. Chris Sale handled San Diego for six innings, punching out 11, and then the front office moved quickly afterward, dealing reliever Ron Marinaccio as the club continued to sort through the back end of the staff.
The bigger question now is how far that reshaping goes before the deadline. Reports have already put closer Mason Miller in the trade conversation, and the Padres are also weighing Griffin Cannings place on the roster, which leaves this fringe contender trying to balance urgency with uncertainty at the exact moment every bullpen decision feels magnified. [Read more 🡒]
Padres Bullpen Just Took Another Brutal Jason Adam Setback
Jason Adams absence is starting to linger in a way the Padres would rather not see from one of their most trusted bullpen arms. The right-hander has been out with a shoulder strain, and what had looked like a possible mid-August return now feels much less certain. Before the injury, Adam had been a steady late-game option for San Diego, working to a 2.51 ERA across 36 appearances and giving the club a level of reliability it has leaned on all season.
For a bullpen that has already had to absorb some wear, the timing makes the setback sting a little more. Jeremiah Estrada is expected back soon after getting through a Triple-A outing during his recovery from a knee injury, which at least offers a potential reinforcement in the near term. Even so, Adams situation leaves the Padres waiting on one of the arms they count on most, and the next step in his recovery still matters as much as anything else in the relief mix. [Read more 🡒]
Padres Suddenly Linked To One Tigers Star Fans Feared Losing
The Padres are expected to spend the run-up to the August 3 trade deadline looking for help in the rotation, and that search has now produced a name that would instantly change the conversation. Tarik Skubal, the Tigers left-hander who has become one of the most coveted arms in the sport, has been linked as a possible target if Detroit decides to listen, giving San Diego a high-end option in a market where starting pitching always comes at a premium.
Detroits place in the playoff race is what makes the situation so tricky, because the Tigers are not operating like a club eager to sell. Even so, Skubals looming free agency keeps the door from shutting completely, and for the Padres the appeal is obvious: a chance to chase a frontline starter with impact now, even if the price would be steep and the fit far from simple. [Read more 🡒]