Padres acquire All-Star closer Mason Miller from Athletics in blockbuster deal before trade deadline: reports
The Athletics traded All-Star closer Mason Miller and starting pitcher J.P. Sears to the San Diego Padres for the third-ranked prospect in all of baseball and three other minor league pitchers, according to multiple reports.
Rumors swirled earlier in the week that Miller's name had been mentioned in preliminary discussions. Late Wednesday, it was revealed the Padres had put their name in the hat.
It was a hefty price for the Padres, but it's hard to blame them right now. They own a three-game lead for the final wild card spot, but they're also just three games back of the Los Angeles Dodgers for the NL West crown.
Miller is, hands down one, of the best in the game. He made his MLB debut in 2023 but burst onto the scene last year with a 2.49 ERA and 14.4 K/9.
He was named an All-Star last season, which was his first full campaign in the majors. He's been clocked at 104.1 mph and averages 101.1 on the gun this season, the fastest in the sport.
His strikeout percentage of 39.1% is also the best mark in the major leagues, but he does rank in the bottom-10 percentile in walk-rate. His ERA is also up from last year, being at 3.76.
Nonetheless, the Padres have locked up their closer, who won't even reach arbitration until after next season.
That explains the haul the Athletics got, with the prized possession being shortstop Leo De Vries, an 18-year-old from the Domincan Republic. He signed with the Padres as a top international prospect for $4.2 million last year and was almost immediately a top prosect.
De Vries represented San Diego in the MLB All-Star Futures Game earlier this month in Atlanta.
This year appears to be the trade deadline of relievers, and Miller tops the class.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Associated Press
4 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Nate Landman shaping up to be Rams' latest quality find at inside linebacker
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Nate Landman is shaping up to be exactly what the Los Angeles Rams want at inside linebacker. He has settled in well as an effective communicator and good teammate and looks like a steady contributor on the field. The 26-year-old Landman has been one of the standouts of training camp for the Rams after signing a one-year contract for the veteran minimum salary in March, the kind of cost-effective find at the position that has become something of a trademark during Sean McVay's head coaching tenure in Los Angeles. 'I think there's some players that maybe the rest of the league doesn't value, that we value, and we kind of know about inside,' McVay said. 'I think we've had some success with guys that are unheralded.' Outside of one season with six-time All-Pro Bobby Wagner in the middle of the defense in 2022, the Rams in McVay's eight-plus years have tended to employ low-cost options, typically developed from within the organization. That was the case a year ago when undrafted free agent Omar Speights emerged in camp, making it palatable to trade starter Ernest Jones to the Tennessee Titans in the preseason. Jones was a third-round pick of the Rams in 2021 and quickly emerged as a productive player, starting 33 games in three seasons and making 320 total tackles, 19 tackles for loss and three interceptions. But with potential contract discontent looming for Jones last summer and a possible replacement in Speights emerging, Los Angeles chose to move on rather than commit the money Jones was seeking. The Rams made it through last season with Speights and veterans Christian Rozeboom and Troy Reeder manning the inside linebacker spots. Rozeboom signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract to join the Carolina Panthers in free agency after leading the Rams with 135 total tackles, which set the stage for Landman's arrival. Landman already had familiarity with some elements of the Rams' defensive structure from his time playing for the Atlanta Falcons. Landman worked last season under then-defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake, who is now a senior defensive assistant for Los Angeles, and head coach Raheem Morris. 'He practices the right way, a great communicator, fantastic teammate,' safety Quentin Lake said of Landman. 'Great addition for us, and I can't wait to see what he's going to do during the season as well.' Landman started 23 games the past two seasons for the Falcons, making 191 tackles, three forced fumbles and one interception in that span. He will be operating behind a formidable defensive line, which includes five top-90 picks from the past three drafts and key free agent addition Poona Ford, meaning Landman should be in position to make plays. It didn't take long for Landman to make an impression, delivering several audibly impressive hits when the Rams started working in pads. 'You can hear it, you can feel it,' McVay said. 'He's one of those guys.' What has also stood out is Landman's knack for knocking the ball loose, drawing comparisons to defensive back Charles Tillman and his 'peanut punch' to force fumbles. Landman said his proficiency comes from being able to read the situation, especially because he is more adept at using his right hand to attack the ballcarrier. 'Really, it's knowing when your opportunity is to go attack the football without sacrificing the integrity of the tackle,' Landman said. Working effectively alongside Speights, whom McVay expects to make significant improvements in his second season, Landman puts the Rams in position to have another efficient starting pair at inside linebacker. 'He's a glue guy,' defensive coordinator Chris Shula said. 'He can organize the whole defense, he can put a lot on his plate, he's always in the right spot, and you just feel how physical he is.' ___ AP NFL:
Forbes
4 minutes ago
- Forbes
Kyle Stowers And The Surging Marlins Are Making A Playoff Push
It's time to rethink our preconceived notions of the Miami Marlins. No one thought much of them following last year's 62-100 finish or their 25-41 start to the 2025 campaign, but they've won 30 of their last 44 games to climb back to an even .500 record. Last night's 7-3 victory over the New York Yankees was significant for the franchise historically, beyond merely bringing their record up to 55-55. It culminated their first sweep of the Yankees since their inception, and with an overall 25-24 record against New York—not including their 2003 World Series victory—they're the only team in MLB history with a winning record against the Yankees. Miami resides in third place in the National League East, 7.5 games behind the Philadelphia Phillies, and they trail the San Diego Padres by six games for the final wild card spot. They have a lot of ground to cover over the final 52 games of the year to make the postseason, but they're one of the hottest teams in baseball right now. Not long ago, it seemed like their playoff window wouldn't open until next year, but they could pry it ajar ahead of schedule. Leading the assault is outfielder Kyle Stowers, who has emerged as one of the best hitters in the game. He ranks third in the league in OPS+ (158, indicating his total offense is 58% above average), fourth in slugging percentage (.575), fifth in batting average (.296), and sixth in home runs (25). When Stowers was originally acquired last July from the Baltimore Orioles along with Connor Norby for Trevor Rogers, no one thought he could become one of the sport's premier sluggers. In 117 games and 340 plate appearances from 2022 to 2024, he hit .208/.268/.332 with just six home runs. Not only did he make his first All-Star Game this year, he has been on fire since the start of the second half, hitting .314/.400/.765 with six home runs in 14 games. Not a bad return on investment for a player earning $768,200 who won't become arbitration-eligible until 2027 or reach free agency until 2030. Other than Stowers, the main catalyst behind their sudden surge has been their pitching staff. Edward Cabrera, who throws one of the hardest changeups in baseball, has taken a leap forward with his ability to spot his pitches this season. He has a 3.24 ERA over 19 starts and 100 innings. Eury Pérez rejoined the rotation in June after missing more than a year following Tommy John surgery. The 22-year-old phenom was one of the hottest pithing prospects in baseball a few years ago. After four rough starts to shake off the rust, his last six outings have been phenomenal, in which he has a 1.06 ERA with only 15 hits allowed in 34 innings. The Marlins made just one big move at the trade deadline, sending outfielder Jesús Sánchez to the Houston Astros for prospects. That isn't the kind of trade that springboards a borderline contending club into the playoffs, but they called up young outfielder Jakob Marsee to take his place. He already had 14 home runs and 47 stolen bases in Triple-A, and recorded three doubles, a triple, and four walks in 12 plate appearances in the series against the Yankees. The Miami Marlins have had a lot of lucky breaks, and they'll need to to keep their luck rolling—such as by getting big contributions from unexpected players like Marsee—in order to make the playoffs. Whether or not they can get there, they've put MLB on notice that they're one good offseason away from making noise next year.
Yahoo
31 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Monte Harrison proves you can teach an old dog new tricks
FAYETTEVILLE — is heading into his sophomore season with the Razorbacks, but he's also six days away from his 30th birthday. It's a non-traditional route to college football for the Kansas City-area native, who went into professional baseball right out of high school, and spent roughly 10 years in the Major League Baseball system. Coming out of high school, he was a four-star prospect and had committed to play both baseball and football at Nebraska, but the money in the MLB was too good to turn down. 'When Major League came in, they offered a number that I couldn't really pass up,' Harrison told reporters on Monday. 'That was my number, so I took it, but I got to a time period where I felt like football, it was time for me to go back. It's not your traditional route but at the end of the day it's still football. I am an incoming freshman, even though it might look a little different, but it's just a transition more than anything. 'I give props to Pitt, to give me the time period to be able to transition my body back to a football body, and now it's just moving forward and really know the playbook and go out there and compete.' What Harrison is working on for his second year Last season, Harrison saw playing time primarily on special teams. He caught two passes for 29 yards, but his transition from baseball player to football player was a longer process than just a few months of preseason practice. 'It definitely took some rust,' Harrison said. 'I mean, I didn't put the pads on until fall camp around this time last, and that was my first time in 10 years. So, I think rust is kind of an understatement. I needed more than WD-40 to be able to get through it…I think when I got through probably, I'll say, like, the fifth or sixth game of the year, I felt like I started to transition and started to feel more fluid.' Harrison is one of just a few returning wide receivers from last year who actually recorded a pass reception, and he's become a leader in the room. 'If a guy's gonna be able to follow you, he's got to be able to trust that you're doing it,' Harrison said. 'A lot of words don't mean nothing. Actions speak 1,000 words. So you could tell by how receptive they are, maybe just from baseball, but also being a little bit older. But you got to realize that I just don't hop on the field and I just earn respect, you know? I mean, I got to go out there and still play football.' From the other wide receivers' perspective, he's referred to as 'Unc.' said Harrison is somewhat of an assistant coach out on the field. 'He's a special person,' Fouch said. 'He's almost similar to, I can lean on him as like an assistant coach. I want a message to the whole room being delivered, you know I can work through him sometimes. He can deliver the message. That way I create more leadership within the room. Instead of me trying to bring guys together, I ask him. He's been a pro, he knows what it takes to win at a high level.' Harrison and the Razorbacks will be out for Day 5 of fall camp on Tuesday morning. Be sure to stay tuned to HawgBeat for more coverage of Arkansas football. Subscribe to HawgBeat right now for $1 and also receive a free year of The Athletic for new members. More HawgBeat Football Coverage
