A's Open to Trading Mason Miller?

"There are some teams that think there's a possibility that the Athletics, this time around, will listen on Mason Miller. There are teams that want to make him a starter. They want to trade for him and make him a starter, and the Athletics need quantity of pitchers in return. It would be a big package, but that would be a huge get for someone."

So is this a real rumor? Hard to tell, but we're leaning no. Bowden is connected to front offices around the league, and while it's tough to dispute that other teams would be ecstatic to trade for the A's closer, their belief that the A's may do it isn't necessarily the same as Forst saying he's on the market.

If Miller were on the market, this would be a tough time to deal him, given his (relative) struggles on the mound in 2025. If the A's were to move Miller, which is still questionable, then they'd want to make sure that they're moving him at his peak. Of course, if they get a return package that they feel is suitable, then anything is possible.

But from another team's perspective, yes, Miller is terrific and has started games in the past. He can also touch 104, which not many pitchers can do. He's a bit of a unicorn in that sense. But the A's would be after a haul if they were to trade Miller, especially with over four years of team control remaining.

Would giving up a slew pieces that would have to be impactful for the A's be worth the uncertainty of making Miller a starting pitcher? The reason the A's have him in the bullpen is due to previous injuries, so it's not like it was their first choice to make him an elite closer.

What's interesting here is that Miller has so much team control remaining, which means that the market would be similar to what they could expect during the offseason. In other words, they wouldn't be limiting themselves to just contending teams.

It should also be noted that the A's have some promising young pitchers in the upper minors at the moment, and we should begin seeing them getting a shot in the big leagues in the coming weeks while the club gives them an opportunity to shine before season's end.

If a couple of their arms work out, then they could be a lot closer to contention than they are currently, and having Miller at the back of the bullpen would almost be a necessity for them to reach their goals.

The A's trading Miller seems like a bit of a long shot this season, given his performance, the haul it would take to get him, and the A's own aspirations to compete in 2026. If they were going to move someone for a modest haul, it would be Jeffrey Springs because of that young pitching that's on its way. The A's don't have another Mason Miller waiting for them in the minors.