Mason Miller landing spots: Yankees, Cubs, Pirates among best fits for star Padres closer at trade deadline

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Mason Miller landing spots: Yankees, Cubs, Pirates among best fits for star Padres closer at trade deadline originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

For the past few months, San Diego Padres closer Mason Miller has been at the center of trade speculation despite the Padres still being in the playoff mix.

Miller is considered the best closer in the league, but his status doesn't mean much if the Padres can't give him the lead in the ninth inning. Therefore, San Diego could choose to trade Miller just a year after acquiring him in order add multiple MLB contributors at other positions.

Considering Miller is on a cheap contract for multiple years beyond the 2026 season, the Padres would have to be blown away to trade him. In fact, San Diego may be more likely to keep him for a playoff push than trade him at the deadline.

Still, there are several teams who would love to add Miller to the back of their bullpen. Here's five teams that could try to acquire Miller.

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Mason Miller landing spots​

New York Yankees​

The New York Yankees are the team most connected to Miller as they look to upgrade an already-strong bullpen. While the Yankees may not have the best farm system in baseball, they do have a history of making big trades with the Padres, proving there is familiarity between the two.

David Bednar has been great as the Yankees closer, but he is a free agent in the offseason and not a guarantee to return next year. Miller would both give New York a dominant back of the bullpen this year and a closer of the future beyond just this year.

Pittsburgh Pirates​

As the Pittsburgh Pirates hope to make the playoffs for the first time since 2015, they desperately need to upgrade their bullpen. Gregory Soto leads the team in saves this year, but he would be much better suited as a set-up man than the last man of defense.

Considering the Pirates' payroll concerns, Miller's cheap contract and years of control make him an ideal target. However, Pittsburgh will have to be willing to deal some of its top prospects, which it has been hesitant to do in the past.

Seattle Mariners​

The Seattle Mariners are under-.500 and have been disappointing this year despite entering the season as an AL favorite. Still, the weaker nature of the American League, and especially the AL West, gives the Mariners a chance to turn things around if they can make upgrades.

Seattle is a particularly strong match with the Padres because Seattle has an excess of controllable starting pitching that it can offer San Diego. Andres Munoz has settled down recently as the Mariners' closer, but a Munoz-Miller duo would be scary in the playoffs.

Chicago Cubs​

Despite an uneven season, the Chicago Cubs are currently in a playoff spot and hope to chase down the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central standings. In order to do so, the Cubs need to upgrade the entire pitching staff, both in the rotation and in the bullpen.

On the year, 12 different Cubs players have recorded a save, with Jacob Webb leading the team with just five saves. If Chicago can put together a competitive offer for the Padres to consider, adding Miller would be a huge statement in the National League.

Washington Nationals​

If there is a surprise team that could make a move for Miller, the Washington Nationals are one to watch. Washington owns the worst bullpen in baseball that has prevented them from entering the playoff picture, as the team currently sits a few games back of a wild card spot.

The Nationals surprise season means they could opt for a more conservative trade deadline, but Miller's years of control is in line with Washington's potential future playoff window. This is a move that would really change the landscape of the NL playoff race.

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