The San Diego Padres made a surprising move at the trade deadline by acquiring elite closer Mason Miller from the Oakland Athletics, outmaneuvering the Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, and New York Yankees who were all pursuing the reliever aggressively. The Padres’ willingness to part with significant young talent was a key factor in their success in landing Miller.

Padres’ Willingness to Sacrifice Top Prospects Made the Difference

According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Phillies, Mets, and Yankees limited their offers by holding on to their best prospects, while the Padres traded 18-year-old shortstop Leo de Vries—ranked by MLB Pipeline as the third-best prospect in baseball—to the Athletics. This decisive willingness to include high-value prospects gave San Diego the edge in negotiations.

Other Teams’ Decisions Impacted Miller’s Destination

The Phillies chose not to trade their top pitching prospect Andrew Painter for Miller and instead opted for Jhoan Duran, sending Mick Abel and Eduardo Tait to the Minnesota Twins. The Yankees declined to give up promising outfielders George Lombard Jr. or Spencer Jones, a choice that might be second-guessed after their recent bullpen struggles. Jake Bird was demoted to Triple-A following a costly walk-off home run, and the relievers David Bednar and Camilo Doval have also struggled since joining New York.

Mets’ Efforts to Acquire Miller Did Not Materialize

The Athletics initially believed the Mets were the frontrunners to obtain Miller. Rosenthal reports,

“One source briefed on the Mets’ conversations described the team’s pursuit of Miller as ‘very serious,’ representing the talks with the A’s as ‘substantial,’”

—Ken Rosenthal, Senior Baseball Writer

However, discussions stalled in the days leading up to the deadline. Instead, the Mets acquired relievers Tyler Rogers and Ryan Helsley in the final 48 hours, having earlier added Gregory Soto.

Details of the Padres’ Trade and Future Plans for Miller

The Padres finalized the deal by sending de Vries, plus three right-handed pitching prospects—Braden Nett (the Athletics’ No. 5 prospect), Henry Baez (No. 9), and Eduarniel Nunez (No. 16)—to Oakland. Along with Miller, San Diego also received starting pitcher J.P. Sears.

San Diego now controls Miller’s contract through 2029, giving them flexibility with his role, potentially shifting him into a starting pitcher position by 2026. This acquisition strengthens the Padres’ bullpen significantly as they prepare for postseason contention.