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The San Diego Padres made waves at the trade deadline once again, and veteran third baseman Manny Machado had a lot to say about it. Following the San Diego trade deadline acquisition of All-Star closer Mason Miller, the team sent a clear message. The window to win is now.
In a postgame interview after the Padres’ 4-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday night, the third baseman was asked about the deal by 97.3 The Fan, a San Diego sports radio station. The outlet later took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to share the exchange, where Machado didn’t hold back on the front office’s move to acquire Miller from the Athletics.
“I'm never shocked about anything we do at the deadline, let's be honest. But yeah, I mean, adding another closer for multiple years—one of the best in the game—that’s big. Last year, we did something similar. We had one of the best bullpens, and this year I think we're topping that. So again, it's up to us now to go out there, finish it off, and play our best baseball.”
Miller, 26, made his Padres debut Friday night. Entering with runners on the corners and one out, he needed just one pitch to induce an inning-ending double play. He then followed it up with a 102.8 mph fastball — the fastest pitch in franchise history — in a flawless eighth inning appearance. The former Athletics closer brings 48 career saves and a 3.14 ERA to a San Diego bullpen that already leads the league in save conversions.
This marks the second consecutive year that the Padres bullpen upgrades have headlined the deadline. In 2024, San Diego added Tanner Scott and Jason Adam, helping push them past the Atlanta Braves in the 2024 NL Wild Card series. This time, Miller is joined by Ryan O’Hearn, Ramon Laureano, Freddy Fermin, and J.P. Sears — all part of the club's aggressive trade strategy.
Machado, now in his 14th MLB season, knows how much these moves can shift momentum. He emphasized that keeping Dylan Cease and Robert Suarez intact while adding high-leverage arms shows the front office’s confidence. The pressure, he said, is now on the players.
With San Diego riding a three-game home win streak and holding a 61-49 record, the additions arrive at a critical time. Miller’s arrival may prove pivotal in a postseason run, and Machado’s leadership continues to reflect a locker room aligned with the franchise’s championship aspirations.
Whether the move brings the club closer to its first World Series title remains to be seen, but the Padres have once again doubled down on winning now — and their unofficial captain has made it clear he’s fully on board.
