TRADE: Padres Loot Farm System For Athletics' Super-Closer Mason Miller

[Brandon Glick]

In the absolute blockbuster of the trade deadline thus far, AJ Preller does it again: the Padres have traded top prospect Leo De Vries (and others) for the A's top closer and absolute flamethrower, Mason Miller.

This is an obscene trade, one that only Preller could pull off given the circumstances. After being rebuffed in a blockbuster offer for Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran just a few days ago, the team has now traded it's only "untouchable" prospect in De Vries. The full trade, per ESPN's Jeff Passan, includes Miller and starting pitcher JP Sears coming to San Diego in exchange for De Vries, Braden Nett, Henry Baez, and Eduarniel Nunez.

Starting with Miller, the former Athletics closer is one of the best in the business at his job. His 3.76 ERA looks relatively concerning on the surface, but rest assured, he's still a dominant force in the back of the bullpen. His 2.86 FIP tells a much different story, as does his ludicrous 39.1% strikeout rate. With four seasons of team control remaining beyond 2025 and the hardest fastball in baseball, there's a reason why he cost the team so much.

Initial reports are suggesting the team could try to convert him back into a starter, which would explain the front office's willingness to part with De Vries. The Padres have had tons of success with converting relievers into starters in recent seasons—Seth Lugo and Michael King chief among them—and Miller has the tools to be the ace of the staff going forward, if he can handle the workload. However, that's a transition that would take place over the offseason; for the remainder of 2025, expect to see the fireballer shutting the door in the ninth inning.

As for Sears, the left-handed starting pitcher is an ideal No. 5 starter on a contending team. He eats innings (464 since the start of 2023) and is durable (hasn't missed a start in three years), pitching to a 4.58 ERA over the past three seasons in Oakland/Sacramento. He doesn't do anything particularly well besides limiting walks, but his sweeper (.238 wOBA allowed this season) is one of the best in the league among starting pitchers. There's enough here to hope for more, but even if he's just a depth arm, he's a good pick up, especially with 3.5 years of team control left (first-time eligible for arbitration this offseason).

As for the prospects the Padres gave up... oh boy. We all know the story on De Vries by now, an 18-year-old shortstop that ranks among the five best prospects in baseball already. Once perceived to be untouchable, the presence of Miller on the trade market clearly changed the front office's thinking. This is another gut punch to a farm system that has routinely been gouged over the past few seasons.

Beyond him, Nett was the team's third-best prospect according to MLB Pipeline, though he wasn't on their Top 100 yet. He has a 3.39 ERA across 17 starts in Double-A this year.

Núñez was signed as a minor league free agent from the Cubs last year and has turned into one of the best relief prospects in baseball (ranked 17th in the Padres' system prior to the trade). He had a 3.86 ERA in 4 2/3 innings with the big league club this season.

Lastly, Baez (ranked 13th) was experiencing his breakout campaign, pitching to the tune of a 1.96 ERA in 20 starts (96 2/3 innings) at Double-A this year. He has a ton of prospect helium and would have been a top-ten prospect in the system at the end of the season.

In all, this is a huge package to send in exchange for a brilliant reliever and a solid but unspectacular starter. Preller has never been afraid of making big swings, and this profiles as perhaps his biggest since at least the first Juan Soto trade back in 2022.

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[Seth Stohs]

I wonder what piece or what was the final straw that made the Padres OK dealing De Vries. Was it adding Sears? 

Henry Baez has been amazing this season, and Nett just was tremendous in his most-recent outing. Definitely a good haul for the A's. 

But that much Mason Miller should be a good thing for the Padres. Robert Suarez was an All Star and had lots of Saves, but he's a one-pitch pitcher. Adding Miller is huge.