The Athletics find themselves in an enticing position; they have a young, uber-talented pitcher with electrifying stuff putting up an outstanding season. Add in the fact that he's under team control until 2030, and the A's could be seeking a franchise-altering haul for reliever Mason Miller going into their weird situation in Sacramento.
If you've been paying attention to the baseball landscape with pitching over the past few years, there's been a severe uptick in pitching injuries, especially to those who throw as hard as Miller.
So why wait? Why not take advantage of the fact that this lockdown bullpen ace will command huge value in the trade market? Bullpen arms will always be valued at a premium, with contending teams looking to stock up their relief help to spark a hopefully deep playoff run, with arguably the most talented relief pitcher in baseball right now.
So, if you're the A's, here are the teams most likely to call and make serious offers to obtain Mr. Miller's services.
Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore is the most popular and obvious partner for the A's. The team has a huge need in the bullpen and position player prospects to complete a massive deal like this.
They showed a willingness to part with even their top prospects this offseason in the Corbin Burnes deal, and with Felix Bautista on the shelf till 2025 and their current bullpen struggling, the time feels right for both teams to get something done.
Baltimore's gluttony of infield and outfield prospects means the A's could immediately acquire a pair of cornerstone players to head into their whatever-they-want-to-call-it era of Athletics baseball.
Let's assume Jackson Holiday is off the table, but the rest of their top five should absolutely be in play. I'd think Enrique Bradfield Jr. is someone of interest to both teams, as his 2026 ETA might not align with the A's weird recent desire to get near-big-league-ready talent. Still, the Orioles might be more inclined to part ways with him due to their window of winning being open right now.
After adding one of their top-5, the Orioles likely get away with dealing from the rest of their top 10 and getting the A's to take a couple of their blue-chip prospects.
New York Yankees
Yeah, the Yankees are always going to be involved with most major deals, and this one is no different. They have the need in the bullpen, but do they have the prospect capital to pull this off? That's a more challenging question to answer.
The big names of Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones are likely not available, and that might be enough for the A's to move on from the get-go. Both would be excellent returns for a relief pitcher, even one of Miller's status, and the Yankees wouldn't have to deal too much more out of their prospect war chest if they included one of those supremely talented outfielders.
But again, the Yankees might envision both of those guys as the future next to Aaron Judge, even as an insurance plan in case Soto's extension talks go south.
Either way, Miller would be a thrilling young arm to add for the Yankees, and the temptation to add such a massive talent out of the 'pen on such a cheap contract as rumors of payroll cutbacks swirl might be too much to pass on.
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers are the most well-run, well-oiled machine in baseball. They churn out top prospects like no one else in the game. If anyone can stand to lose out on some young players to bolster their bullpen without breaking the bank, it's them.
Dalton Rushing or Diego Cartaya are fun because the Dodgers already have Will Smith under contract for a while, but the A's also have a pair of young, talented catchers they likely view as the future. Perhaps starting there is unwise.
Luckily, young stud outfielder Josue De Paula can be paired with any number of top pitching prospects to make for an incredibly competitive offer for Miller. The Dodgers have had immense success developing bullpen arms out of thin air, but Miller's stuff is so elite that the opportunity to plug and play would be tough to pass up.
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