The New York Yankees have surged to first place in the American League East division thanks in large part to one of the big league’s best bullpens.
Led by elite closer Clay Holmes, the Yankees relief corps has the second-best ERA in MLB and its most saves. But there is at least one player who could be a trade chip come deadline time that would push the Yankees to try and upgrade in a push toward the playoffs: Oakland A’s flamethrower Mason Miller.
Projecting a potential deal to bring Miller to New York, Zach Rymer of Bleacher Report proposed the Yankees trade prospects Roderick Arias, Chase Hampton and Everson Pereira.
“The first thing to know about Miller is that, at least on a pitch-to-pitch basis, he’s the top hurler in Major League Baseball right now,” Rymer noted.
The New York Yankees Might Deal Several Top-5 Prospects for Mason Miller
As Miller has ascended to the top of the MLB ranks among closers, the Oakland A’s have entertained the idea of trading him, but won’t give him away for cheap.
“Naturally, teams are calling the Oakland A’s with trade interest in their 100 mph closer, right hander Mason Miller. And naturally, the A’s are asking for a ton in return,” Ken Rosenthal reported for The Athletic. “No team has come close to meeting the A’s price, according to a team source. Perhaps no team will.”
But Rymer sees the potential for a deal if the Yankees are willing to part with their number-three, number-four and number-five prospects. Critically, though, they would hang onto the top-two players in their farm system.
“Three top-100 prospects for Miller? That’s more like it,” Rymer added. “And as a switch-hitting shortstop with at least three plus tools, Arias has upside coming out of his ears. Yet none of these guys is named Jasson Domínguez or Spencer Jones, either of whom would be an ideal prize for Oakland. The latter, at least, seems pretty much off-limits.”
Mason Miller Could Be the New York Yankees Closer of the Future
Still, giving up even this much for Miller might seem like a mistake, given how well the bullpen has performed up to this point. But it’s worth noting that Miller is still in pre-arbitration, making just $740,000 this season, while Holmes is set for free agency and likely a lucrative deal after this year.
Looking ahead, the Yankees might see Miller as a critical weapon in the hunt for a World Series championship this year and into the future.
“Holmes is due for free agency this winter … so a trade for Miller would have the effect of lining up his heir apparent. And it’s not as if he isn’t needed in the meantime,” Rymer noted. “Jonathan Loáisiga’s season-ending elbow surgery opened a hole in the Yankees’ bullpen. Plus, its 2.63 ERA is not to be mistaken for a sign of invincibility. This pen is tied for the six-lowest strikeout rate in MLB, which is potentially a ticking time bomb.”
The upside of Miller is that he’s proving to be one of the most sought-after trade deadline commodities in MLB already this season — a flamethrowing, shutdown closer — while having the potential to lead the Yankees bullpen for years to come.
