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While previous reports around a potential trade for Athletics pitcher Mason Miller dwindled due to the stance from the team, it appears it isn't totally out of the question just yet. It remains to be seen if it's possible for the Athletics to trade Miller, but if there were a favorite to obtain him, it would be the Philadelphia Phillies.
This would come from the latest column by MLB insider Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, who mentioned the likely expectation that Miller stays with the Athletics. However, the team could be waiting for other franchises to “grow more desperate” to get a huge haul, listing Philadelphia as “No. 1” on a list of teams that would go after Miller.
“A year ago, Athletics closer Mason Miller was untouchable,” Rosenthal wrote. “To this point, the A’s messaging this season – we’re not talking about him – is pretty much the same. But according to sources briefed on the team’s plans, that stance is subject to change. The way the A’s see it, only a few teams are bold enough to propose an offer for Miller worthy of consideration. General manager David Forst might engage those teams as the deadline nears. But for now, he appears willing to let them grow more desperate.”
“Which teams might tempt the A’s? The Philadelphia Phillies, who reached agreement Sunday with free-agent reliever David Robertson, probably would be No. 1 on the list,” Rosenthal continued. “The Los Angeles Dodgers, with free agents Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates performing below expectations, almost certainly would be in the mix. So would the New York Yankees, who face the losses of Devin Williams and Luke Weaver to free agency.”
Asking price for Athletics' Mason Miller “would figure to be exorbitant”
With the trade deadline approaching for the Athletics, there is no doubt that the baseball world will monitor the status of Miller as teams will line up for his talents. So far this season, though, he has a 4.04 ERA to go along with 19 saves as he is used primarily as a closer, though there have been rumors of other teams turning him into a starter.
Other teams would go after Miller, as Rosenthal mentioned, with the San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners also being monitored. However, the ask from the Athletics “would figure to be exorbitant.”
“Still, the A’s asking price for Miller would figure to be exorbitant,” Rosenthal wrote. “Miller, 26, is earning $765,000 this season, just $5,000 above the league minimum, then is under club control for four additional seasons through salary arbitration. His expected 2.84 ERA is well below his actual 4.04 mark, thanks in part to a 40.1 percent strikeout rate that was in the top 1 percent of the league.”
USA Today's Bob Nightengale would report that the Athletics are telling others that they are “wasting their time” calling about Miller. The Athletics are currently 42-59, which puts them last in the AL West, while the reported top spot in the Phillies stands at 56-43, putting the team first place in the NL East.
