Sports

Rival execs 'convinced' Padres will trade Mason Miller at deadline

San Diego Padres On SI · Jul 21, 2026 22:00 · 3 min read

Rival Execs 'Convinced' Padres Will Trade Mason Miller at Deadline — Jul 12, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres pitcher Mason Miller (22) celebrates after the Padres beat the Toronto Blue Jays at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Multiple rivals are reportedly convinced that the San Diego Padres will decide to move Mason Miller at the trade deadline.

Elite players like closer Mason Miller of the San Diego Padres aren't typically made available on the trade market.

And yet, for the second time in two summers, Miller could be on the verge of moving teams.

Last year, the Padres paid a hefty price to land Miller from the Athletics in a blockbuster deal that included the team sending out top prospect Leo De Vries.

Fast forward to the present, and the Padres have been rumored to be looking into trading Miller due to their struggles on the field. Given where the Padres are in the standings — 2.5 games back of the final wild-card spot and not exactly playing inspiring baseball — moving Miller could make sense.

Multiple teams have been watching the Padres closely, just waiting for the chance to potentially land a star like Miller if he were to become available.

According to MLB insider Bob Nightengale of USA Today, rivals around the league are more convinced than ever that San Diego will indeed trade Miller at the deadline.

"Rival executives are convinced the Padres will be motivated to sell and buy at the same time, and will move All-Star closer Mason Miller," Nightengale wrote.

Should the Padres Trade Mason Miller?

The decision to trade Miller isn't an easy one, especially given how dominant a player he has been for the Padres. Earlier this season, Miller generated some Cy Young buzz in the NL race, and he's put together a special season so far.

On the year, the right-hander owns an ERA of 0.89 over 40.2 innings while going a perfect 25-for-25 in saves. Miller has essentially been a cheat code for the Padres late in games, and losing this production won't be easy to replicate.

But the closer is the biggest trade chip that the Padres have in the organization currently, as the team could net a haul for him. San Diego's farm system has been decimated in recent years due to multiple big trades, so Miller could help replenish it while also giving the team assets for the present.

Teams like the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies have been linked to Miller, with New York being the most talked about. Miller has even addressed the trade rumors, specifically discussing the Yankees' situation.

“It’s a compliment,” Miller said of the Yankees' rumored interest. “They’re a very good team, and they’re interested in good players.”

Miller has expressed his desire to remain with the Padres, but this situation is out of his hands. The closer has three more years of team control left, which would drive up the price of any trade.

Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller would be going against his usual instincts by selling at the deadline, but this may be the best option for the future of the franchise. The bullpen has been a strength of the team, but the Padres have multiple holes to fill at the deadline if they want to actually compete for a World Series title.

Losing Miller would certainly sting, especially since the Padres landed him just a year ago. But if Preller could find a large enough haul to send him out, trading the star may set the Padres up for better results going forward.