The San Diego Padres made one of the boldest moves at the MLB trade deadline by acquiring Mason Miller. The team wasted no time clarifying his role. After the trade deadline deal, the Padres asked Miller what position he envisioned within their bullpen.
His response to the Padres was simple: “I’m here to do anything to help the team.” It was the perfect answer for the clubhouse, but one that could affect his value when arbitration arrives this offseason.
In Major League Baseball, saves remain a key figure in arbitration discussions, even though many analysts view them as an outdated statistic. Postseason performance also plays a role, which explains why Miller isn’t overly concerned about pitching in a flexible role.
“It is valuable to be part of a winning team,” Mason Miller said. “Had I stayed with the A’s, maybe I end up with another 10 saves. It’s impossible to project it really. Holds don’t quite count the same as saves. But they count a little bit.”
Since joining the Padres, Mason Miller has gone 1-for-2 in save opportunities while collecting four holds. Meanwhile, the Athletics have converted all five of their save chances using four different relievers since the Padres trade deadline move that sent Miller and JP Sears to San Diego on July 31.
Miller said the Padres’ message was clear: “Don’t worry about roles going forward. Just worry about performing and helping us win games.” While that approach benefits the team, arbitration hearings tend to reward relievers who rack up saves. However, under general manager A.J. Preller, the Padres have never taken a player to a hearing since 2014, suggesting Miller’s future contract talks could remain smooth.
Robert Suarez, a potential free agent, also expressed willingness to pitch in any role after the Miller trade. While Suarez remains the closer, other Padres arms like Jason Adam have embraced pitching earlier in games to strengthen the bullpen’s depth.
The Padres’ flexible strategy with Mason Miller could maximize his value in October, even if it doesn’t pad his arbitration stats.
