Padres could have 'rare' opportunity with Mason Miller trade decision

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Padres could have 'rare' opportunity with Mason Miller trade decision originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The San Diego Padres have struggled this season, and now might end up as trade deadline sellers. But, instead of just the rental options hitting free agency after 2026, the Padres might even trade away Mason Miller.

Rumors about Miller's availability have significantly increased in the last week or so, with the Padres closer looking like a real trade option this summer. If they move on from him, A.J. Preller surely would be able to land a massive return.

But, as ESPN's Jeff Passan highlights, the Padres could have a "rare" opportunity with Miller at the 2026 MLB trade deadline. Thanks to a weak bullpen trade market, the Padres could spark a major bidding war to receive a huge return for Miller this summer.

Padres have 'rare' chance to trade Mason Miller for a king's ransom at trade deadline​

"With so few teams committing to unloading, there is a rare opportunity to build a strong market," Passan writes. "It's why the prospect of Mason Miller moving is so tantalizing for a Padres team that still harbors postseason hope: They could leverage the lack of availability for other elite closers into a bonanza of a return."

It shouldn't come as a surprise that the Padres want a massive return for Miller if they trade the All-Star closer. But what is noteworthy is that a trade makes a lot of sense this summer.

With plenty of teams around baseball hesitant to be sellers this season, especially in the American League, the Padres could stand to benefit greatly with a Miller trade.

MORE: MLB execs believe Padres will trade Mason Miller at trade deadline

The Padres would already be able to land a huge return for Miller, but with the deadline being a seller's market, and the reliever options other than Miller being lackluster, the Padres have a clear path to receiving a massive haul this summer.

Trading Miller is easier said than done, but things have set up nicely for the Padres to move the closer for an absolute haul this year by the August 3 deadline.

Miller's trade outcome this summer is one of the most interesting storylines of the deadline, as Preller has a chance to take advantage of a "rare" opportunity this summer and land a massive haul for their closer

More MLB news:​

• Braves injury update on Spencer Strider has execs ‘pessimistic’ about a 2026 return
• Nick Pivetta has to return from IL by August 22 to avoid missing out on $32 million contract with Padres
• Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani injury update essentially ends Cy Young chances
• Yankees send scouts to Cubs vs. Twins series amid trade interest in three players
• Phillies ‘would love’ to trade for Mets reliever Luke Weaver

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