The Yankees have spent the past couple of years getting tied to Mason Miller, and that chatter isn’t going away just because the San Diego Padres decided to buy at the deadline.
That choice matters. The Padres opted against selling this season and went the other direction, a move that fits the way they operate.
They want to win, and they’re willing to spend to do it. For the rest of the league, that’s just part of the landscape.
For New York, though, it’s another reminder not to get pulled in by the same Miller speculation again.
He’s one of the most dominant closers in baseball, and that’s exactly why his name keeps coming up. But the bigger question has never changed: is he actually available?
That’s the point behind the latest Yankees connection, and it’s why fans probably shouldn’t get too carried away. Zachary Rotman laid out the case this way:
“The Padres have plenty of talented players, but their roster is far from well-rounded. Their lineup has underperformed for most of the year, their rotation was so bad that Preller had to acquire two high-priced rentals just to stay afloat and their farm system, beyond catcher Ethan Salas, is a mess. Trading Miller, the best closer in the sport who is under control through 2029, might give San Diego a chance to address some of these issues,” Zachary Rotman wrote.
Rotman also included the Yankees among the few teams that could realistically make a run at Miller. The idea is that he could still be moved within the next few years, depending on how the next couple of months unfold for San Diego.
If the Padres stumble, maybe A.J. Preller changes course and starts dealing from the top of the roster. But until that happens, the Yankees would be wise to keep their focus elsewhere rather than building plans around a right-hander who still looks very much in play for San Diego.
In Other News...
Luis Arraez Is Giving The Padres A Huge New Debate
Luis Arraez has spent enough time in the middle of the Padres lineup to know how quickly a productive season can change the conversation around a player, and this one has done exactly that. With his performance trending up in 2026, he has joined a group of impending free agents whose value is rising at the wrong time for their current clubs, turning what looked like a routine stretch run into an offseason question already taking shape.
For San Diego, the issue is no longer just what Arraez brings right now, but what a hot season means when the market opens next winter. The Padres have seen several players around the league boost their standing with strong years and changing roles, and Arraez is now part of that same broader debate, one that could make his future in San Diego more complicated than it seemed earlier in the year. [Read more 🡒]
Fernando Tatis Turnaround Adds To Growing Padres Catching Debate
Fernando Tatis Jr.s slow start at the plate has already given way to something more familiar for the Padres, after hitting coach Steven Souza Jr. said the early home run drought came down to Tatis approach more than anything else. Since then, Tatis has started to look more like the player San Diego expects, which matters not just for the offense but for the broader feel around a club that has been trying to find steadier footing in the early part of the season.
Craig Stammen also touched on another storyline that is starting to hover around the roster in a different way, with top catching prospect Ethan Salas continuing to push his name into the conversation. The Padres have a long-term eye on his development, but Stammens comments made clear there is at least some thought that Salas could factor into the major-league picture later this season, even if the organization is not rushing the timeline. [Read more 🡒]
Former Dodgers Reliever Lands In A Place Fans Wont Love
Brent Honeywell is on the move again, and this time the right-hander is heading to a place that will get attention for more than just the baseball. After multiple injuries and a steady run of team changes since his MLB debut in 2021, he has settled on a minor league contract with the Padres, giving San Diego a low-risk look at a pitcher whose career has been shaped as much by availability as ability.
For Padres fans, the note that will sting a little is where Honeywell was last seen in the majors. He spent 2024 with the Dodgers and was part of their World Series-winning group, which adds another layer to a reunion that is less about nostalgia than depth. Whether he can turn the new stop into a real opportunity is the part left hanging, but the move at least gives San Diego another arm to monitor as the season unfolds. [Read more 🡒]