Yankees could be denied Mason Miller trade for one reason

If the San Diego Padres do indeed decide to trade All-Star closer Mason Miller before the upcoming MLB trade deadline, one MLB insider believes the New York Yankees might miss out on him for one simple reason.

In a video for New York Post Sports, MLB insider Joel Sherman laid out why the Yankees might not land Miller at the trade deadline simply because New York's farm system isn't as loaded as some of the other teams that will be competing for Miller's services.

Who might have the advantage trading with the Padres for Mason Miller?

According to Sherman, one of the teams with a better farm system than the Yankees who might pursue Miller is also one of New York's biggest hurdles to winning the American League East — the Tampa Bay Rays.

"By the way, the Rays with a better farm system will be in for Mason Miller," Sherman said. "The (Milwaukee) Brewers with a better farm system."

Then Sherman pulls perhaps the most head-shaking thought of all when it comes to Miller's potential new home.

"The (Los Angeles) Dodgers," Sherman said. "Why would the Dodgers stop? Can you imagine having Miller and Edwin Diaz for the last six outs of a game?"

At the start of the season, MLB.com ranked Milwaukee's farm system as the best in all of baseball while the Dodgers came in second. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay was ranked 10th, and the Yankees were far behind at No. 26.

Could a Padres-Yankees deal have a different angle?

Based on those numbers, the Yankees may have to put together a bigger package to get a deal done for someone in the upper echelon like Miller. However, even if the Yankees can't land Miller in a deal, Sherman was quick to say there were other options, including Miller's teammates with the Padres, Adrian Morejon, Jason Adam and Jeremiah Estrada.

"If it's not Miller, and I think they'll be in for Miller, it will be Morejon, who's a power lefty who's a free agent at the end of the year," Sherman said. "If it's not Morejon, and they're healthy, either (Jason) Adam or (Jeremiah) Estrada, I think the Yankees will be in play for it."

Of course, all of this still assumes that the Padres will be ready to move pieces of their bullpen. After a Monday night loss in Atlanta dropped the Padres to 49-51 on the season, it's becoming more and more of a possibility.