The San Diego Padres have made the biggest move of the MLB trade deadline so far by acquiring All-Star closer Mason Miller and starting pitcher J.P. Sears from the Oakland Athletics. In return, the A’s received a major prospect haul, including 18-year-old shortstop Leo De Vries—ranked the No. 3 prospect in baseball—and three minor league pitchers, according to multiple reports.
Talks had reportedly included Miller earlier in the week, but confirmation came late Wednesday that San Diego had joined the bidding. Sitting three games ahead in the NL wild card race and only three games behind the division-leading Dodgers, the Padres are clearly making a push.
Miller has quickly become one of the most dominant relievers in baseball. After debuting in 2023, he earned an All-Star nod last season with a 2.49 ERA and an eye-popping 14.4 strikeouts per nine innings. Known for his blazing fastball, Miller has reached speeds of 104.1 mph and currently averages 101.1 mph—the fastest in the league. He leads the majors in strikeout percentage at 39.1%, though his walk rate is among the lowest percentile and his ERA this season has risen to 3.76.
Despite those minor concerns, the Padres now have a powerful bullpen weapon who won’t hit arbitration until after next year, giving them valuable control.
In exchange, the A’s landed De Vries, a highly touted Dominican shortstop who signed with the Padres for $4.2 million just last year and quickly rose to elite prospect status. He recently played in the MLB All-Star Futures Game in Atlanta.
This trade highlights the growing focus on top-tier relievers at this year’s deadline, with Miller standing out as one of the most coveted arms on the market.
