The Padres pulled off the trade deadline’s biggest move, sending their top prospect Leo De Vries along with J.P. Sears and other pieces to Oakland for Mason Miller. It’s the kind of blockbuster deal A.J. Preller’s known for, and this one adds serious firepower to an already stacked bullpen.
Miller met with reporters before his first game in a Padres uniform, and his comments give us a good look at how this whole thing went down.
97.3 The Fan caught up with Miller about everything – the trade, the city, and what it’s like joining a team that’s actually in playoff contention.
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“Been here all of two hours, but I’m loving every second of it,” Miller said. When asked about what the last 24 hours have been like, Miller gave a clear answer that can resonate with Padres fans as well. “(It’s been) chaotic for sure.”
That’s probably putting it mildly.
What makes this deal interesting is that San Diego didn’t really need bullpen help. They’ve got three All-Stars back there in Robert Suarez, Adrian Morejon, and Jason Adam. But when you can get Miller, you make the move.
“Kinda came out of nowhere,” Miller said about landing in San Diego. “Kind of expected to move in some ways, but getting to end up here not far from where we were is really nice.”
The geography works out well for Miller. He’s going from Sacramento – where the A’s have been playing in a minor league park while they figure out their move to Las Vegas – to a real baseball atmosphere in San Diego.
And what an atmosphere it is. Miller’s about to experience one of the biggest upgrades in baseball, going from playing in front of sparse crowds to Petco Park’s passionate fanbase.
First Impressions
When asked about playing for Padres fans, Miller kept it simple: “(They’re) passionate, I’m really looking forward to playing for them.”
The early returns look good. In his debut, Miller struck out his first batter as a Padre and worked out of trouble with a double-play ball to pitch a scoreless eighth inning. Not the smoothest start – there was some early shakiness – but he got the job done when it mattered.
That’s exactly what San Diego needs as they chase the Dodgers in the NL West. Every game matters in this tight postseason race, and adding Miller gives them another weapon for those crucial late-innings situations.
The way I see it, this trade’s about more than just adding talent. It’s about giving Miller his first real shot at October baseball while giving the Padres another elite arm for what could be a deep playoff run.
All things considered, it seems like a win-win situation that came together pretty quickly at the deadline.
