Mason Miller has dominated in the 9th inning for the Athletics; is the prospect haul worth it to trade for the flamethrower?
The Oakland Athletics have one of the hottest potential trade commodities in flamethrower Mason Miller. The hard-throwing closer has been impressive in his rookie campaign and has been subject to media-driven trade rumors for the last month.
The 100-mph closer’s asking price has reportedly been steep, with the Athletics looking for a young player of comparable ability or a possible package of multiple young players.
Miller is under team control for the next six seasons (2029), which could prompt a bidding war between contending teams this summer. If the righty doesn’t move in-season, the trade discussions will certainly become intense again during the offseason.
Miller is only 25 and earning $740,000; he is not eligible for arbitration until 2026.
Relief pitchers are extremely volatile, which means there’s a risk giving up top prospects for Miller. He also missed four months last season with a mild UCL sprain in his right elbow.
Oakland decided to move him into a relief role in an effort to keep him healthier rather than putting him back in the rotation.
In 27 2/3 innings, Miller has struck out 52 while allowing only 14 hits and 11 walks. His 16.92 percent strikeout rate is by far the highest among major-league relievers and rookies, according to FanGraphs. His ERA is 2.28. His opponents’ batting average is .149. And his expected numbers in both categories — 1.53 ERA, .1.40 SIERA or skill interactive ERA.
Miller will command a king's ransom, and there are teams equipped to pay the steep price for his services. The Orioles farm system is loaded, and he’d be a tremendous upgrade over Craig Kimbrel. The Orioles are under new ownership and appear to be willing to spend on premium talent to keep their playoff and championship window open with all the young talent they have on their roster.
If teams balk at the Athletics' asking price for Miller, other options will be available on the trade market.
Red Sox closer Kenley Jansen should be the most logical trade candidate before the deadline, and he will come at a much cheaper cost. Boston is in Wild Card playoff contention, and chief baseball officer Craig Breslow hasn’t committed to being a buyer or a seller.
Miller's setup man in the eighth inning, Lucas Erceg, is another intriguing name that could be on the market. He is under team control for the next six seasons and is currently on the 15-day injured list with right forearm tightness.
The Athletics are deep into a rebuild and will not have a true home until they end up in Las Vegas in a few years. There is no urgency to move Miller or even Erceg, but Oakland has intriguing options to land them significant prospect capital as they continue with their ongoing rebuild.
