BREAKING Trade: A's Sending Fireballing Reliever Mason Miller to NL West

In a stunning move, the Athletics are trading their fireballing young closer Mason Miller to the San Diego Padres.

Source confirms: Mason Miller and JP Sears heading to Padres from Athletics. Top SS prospect Leodalis DeVries heading to A’s. First: @JeffPassan
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 31, 2025

JP Sears is also heading to the Padres in the deal, while the A's get a huge haul, led by baseball's No. 3 overall prospect, shortstop Leodalis De Vries, along with RHP Braden Nett (Padres #3 prospect), RHP Henry Báez (#13 prospect) and RHP Eduarniel Nuñez (#17).

Miller was an All-Star in 2024, recording 28 saves with a 2.49 ERA and a 0.87 WHIP, while striking out a whopping 14.4 batters per nine innings. This season, though he had a rough stretch in May, the 26-year-old has still been dominant, with a 3.76 ERA and a 1.01 WHIP. He has 20 saves and is in the 100th percentile in Fastball Velo and K%, the 99th in Whiff% and Expected Batting Average, and the 96th percentile in Chase%.

In the month of July, Miller has allowed just one hit in 7.2 innings.

He still has four more years of team control, making this move by the A's even more surprising.

By acquiring a starting pitcher in Sears, along with Miller, the Padres are now expected by many to trade both starter Dylan Cease and reliever Robert Suarez before the deadline hits at 6pm Eastern time. Though insider Bob Nightengale begs to differ:

The Padres have no plans to trade closer Robert Suarez, giving them the best bullpen in baseball.
They also may keep starter Dylan Cease, after all, with J.P. Sears giving them plenty of depth.
Once again, the Padres are all-in.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) July 31, 2025

He calls the Padres "all-in" and not looking to trade Suarez to give them a dominant bullpen (the "best in baseball", he says). They also "may keep" Cease, says Nightengale.

Sears comes in with a 4.95 ERA this season, with a 1.27 WHIP.

De Vries, the elite young prospect who heads to the A's organization, is 18, and has a 2027 ETA for the big leagues. A switch-hitter, he has tremendous control of the strike zone, and has both power and speed.