Kotsay: Mason Miller “Unavailable Tonight,” Not Injured

Athletics closer Mason Miller was “unavailable tonight,” according to manager Mark Kotsay, who also said the decision was not injury-related.  The A’s held a 5-3 lead over the Mariners entering the ninth inning at Sutter Health Park tonight and elected to stick with rookie Jack Perkins rather than go to the flamethrowing closer Miller, who hasn’t pitched since Saturday.  The heavy implication is that a trade may be in the works for Miller, who is known to be of interest to the Padres and Yankees among others.

The Mets and Phillies were linked to Miller earlier today.  The Phillies have since acquired Jhoan Duran from the Twins, while the Mets subsequently added Tyler Rogers and Ryan Helsley (plus Gregory Soto five days ago).  The list of potential suitors for Miller is likely extensive, though the young talent required to get him will be significant.

Miller, 27 in August, is under team control through 2029.  He’s also one of the game’s best relievers.  Miller’s 39.1 K% ranks second among all relievers, as does his average fastball velocity of 101.2.  Some might say Miller has slipped a bit from last year’s breakout All-Star performance, but his 3.76 ERA in a 38 1/3 inning sample will hardly deter interested GMs.  Miller’s walk rate has worsened, and he’s been barreled up a good amount this year, but he’s still an impact stopper who’s under control for four-plus years.

In Tim Dierkes’ mailbag last week, he attempted to find comps for a reliever of Miller’s caliber being traded.  Tim concluded, “Even going back a decade to identify those comps, there’s not a great match for Miller, trading one of the game’s best relievers at the deadline with four-plus years of control remaining. Unless the waters are muddied with, say, Luis Severino’s contract, I’d expect two very good 55/60 grade prospects, and perhaps an equivalent player with MLB experience, to be required.”

As J.J. Cooper of Baseball America outlined yesterday, typically about three top-100 prospects are traded at the deadline each year.  We’ve seen one thus far, with #50 Eduardo Tait heading to Minnesota to headline the Duran deal.  Mick Abel, the secondary piece in that trade, is “very much is on the very cusp of the Top 100” according to Cooper.  Keep in mind that Duran is under team control for two-plus years, while Miller is under control for four-plus.  Miller’s arbitration salaries will only begin next year.

We haven’t seen a top-25 prospect traded since the Padres included a pair in the 2022 Juan Soto deal.  I’d have to think Miller would require at least one such player, such as Zyhir Hope, Josue De Paula, or Dalton Rushing of the Dodgers or George Lombard Jr. of the Yankees.  It’s been eight years since a team parted with a top ten prospect at the deadline; Padres President of Baseball Operations & General Manager A.J. Preller holds one such chip in #5-ranked Leo De Vries.  It’s also possible that contenders could win the bidding by including valuable players off the big league roster.  The Padres have one of those in play in rental starter Dylan Cease; it might require a third team and a lot of creativity (and more players) to spin him into Miller.  We’ll find out in less than 17 hours.

A potential Miller trade would take place in a time of uncertainty for the Athletics, who are playing in a minor league ballpark in Sacramento in the first of what is meant to be three seasons.  A’s owner John Fisher held a symbolic groundbreaking for his new Las Vegas stadium back in June, though it’s still unclear how that will be financed.