The San Diego Padres are entering a crucial offseason.
After a strong second half of the season, the Padres are looking to take a massive leap.
The new owners vowed they'd bring a title to San Diego, and this offseason needs to be a step in that direction. The Padres brass will likely do all they can to reach that mountaintop, and one move they may need to consider is trading arguably their best player: closer Mason Miller.
Miller is coming off a historic 2026 season, one in which he dominated out of the bullpen and posted an extraordinary strikeout rate.
From the outside, trading a player of Miller's caliber seems nuts. However, he may be so valuable right now that San Diego should consider converting that value into multiple pieces it desperately needs elsewhere.
Miller was out of this world in 2026, posting a 1.67 ERA and 129 strikeouts in 70 innings out of the bullpen.
He also has at least three more years of team control and is 28 years old, so a team acquiring the Padres' top pitcher would get a closer still in his prime. Trading him would allow the Padres to address multiple roster needs with one player.
San Diego should explore what teams are willing to offer now — when Miller's value is exceptionally high — instead of assuming his next three seasons will be just as dominant. The Padres also have an incredible bullpen — and could look to bring back Adrian Morejon after filling other needs from a Miller trade.
By trading Miller and potentially acquiring two or three players to fill other roster holes, they'd have the money to bring back Morejon as the team's closer.
The Padres Need Starting Pitching More Than Mason Miller
Elite starting pitching is the key to a deep playoff run — and heading into the offseason, San Diego's biggest weakness is the starting rotation.
San Diego should explore whether Miller's value could land them multiple controllable, legitimate middle-of-the-rotation starting pitchers. A team like the New York Yankees — who has shown interest in Miller — could be a good fit for that.
The easiest way for the Padres to improve their rotation is through free agency, but potentially acquiring one or two starters via trade would be a better way to do that in terms of not inflating the payroll.
While now is the best time to trade Miller, when his value is at its peak, they should only make the move for the right return.
AJ Preller needs to acquire at least one player who can meaningfully contribute to the 2027 roster, ideally a controllable starting pitcher. He should also look to acquire another premium asset, whether that's an MLB position player or a high-upside prospect. The deal can be rounded out with other prospects.
If Preller can achieve that, the Padres will be even better in 2027 than they were in the second half of the season in 2026.
It's a tall order, but not impossible.
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