The Oakland Athletics are entering the month of July once again involved in plenty of trade rumors. Will the A's sell some players at the MLB Trade Deadline? With a 28-48 record entering Thursday, that is a question that will be asked a lot over the next few weeks. One notable player is closer Mason Miller, who has dazzled this season.
Miller has a 1-1 record with a 2.14 ERA and 13 saves along with a 0.83 WHIP, so he is an appealing option for a number of teams. However, one American League exec mentioned the A's asking price would likely be high, per Mark Feinsand of MLB.com.
“I’m sure they’ll have to be blown away.”
Another executive also mentioned a high price but that it would come with some risks as well: “The return would be massive. You could potentially backfill your system with some solid talent. There is health risk there for any team acquiring him – and therefore risk to hold him long-term. Without contending anytime soon, I think they shop but might not sell.”
Miller was shut down for a good amount of time in 2023 after making just four stars. He ultimately returned to the club and has performed well in 2024, even earning All-Star consideration. So, it makes sense why Miller's name will be at the forefront of trade discussions for contending teams.
The Athletics could hold on to Mason Miller
With all of the rumors surrounding the Athletics and Miller, there are some reports stating that they might hold on to him. Jim Bowden of The Athletic mentioned the Athletics have “no interest” in dealing him unless they get an “outrageous offer.”
Now, execs across the league have echoed pretty much the same sentiment. There are plenty of reasons why, even with the Athletics not anywhere near playoff contention. One big reason is due to club control, per another exec: “Because Miller still has five years of control remaining after 2024, Oakland has the luxury of knowing they can wait until they receive whatever offer they believe will be the best within that remaining control. That gives them an incredible amount of leverage over any club who seeks to trade for Miller right now.”
At the beginning of June, ESPN's Jeff Passan also stated the same stance that Oakland might not move Miller: “As much as the A's are open to listening for offers on uber reliever Mason Miller, multiple executives believe it's unlikely he'll be moved. That could change in coming weeks, of course, but the consensus is that the A's are in no rush to deal Miller, who has struck out 51 batters in 26 innings.”
The Baltimore Orioles and Los Angeles Dodgers are a few teams that could make sense for a Miller trade, as well as the Texas Rangers and Chicago Cubs if the Athletics end up changing their mind.
The MLB Trade Deadline is on July 30, so there will be plenty of rumors swirling until then. As of now, Mason Miller being traded looks like a longshot.
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