Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports that closer Mason Miller is being called up by the A’s early in the trade process. Rosenthal notes that nobody has approached what is obviously a very big request, even if the team is at least generally amenable to conversations. Miller has emerged as one of the 2024 league’s most promising players. Although he was rated as a top-100 prospect for the previous two seasons, the right-hander in his second year is already among the finest relievers in the game, so it surely didn’t happen overnight. In his opening game of the season against the Guardians, Miller gave up two runs. It is an understatement of his dominance that he hasn’t been scored on in 12 games since. With the exception of two games, the 25-year-old has tallied multiple strikeouts in each outing. Of the 60 hitters who have faced him, 33 have been struck out by him. That 55% percentage is absurd. Fernando Cruz of Cincinnati is ranked second among pitchers with at least 10 innings pitched, with a strikeout percentage of 47.3%. Only four qualified relievers have ever sustained a strikeout rate above 50% for the whole season: Devin Williams (during the shortened 2020 schedule), Aroldis Chapman (2014), Craig Kimbrel (2012), and Edwin Díaz (2022). Miller has induced swinging strikes on over 21 percent of his deliveries; Cruz has only just surpassed this percentage. He has combined that powerful stuff with excellent control, giving up just four walks while not striking out a batter. It’s easy to see why opponents haven’t been able to establish communication. Miller’s work is extraordinary. His fastball has an average velocity of 100.8 mph and a maximum velocity of 103–104 mph. He has combined it with an upper-80s slider that has been almost unhittable and received plus or better ratings from prospect evaluators. Almost half of the time that opponents swing at both offerings, they come up empty. Miller at the back end would greatly improve every bullpen. It makes perfect sense that teams would try to wrest him away from Oakland and that the A’s would require a huge haul before entertaining the idea. In addition to his dominance, Miller will have inexpensive club control for the foreseeable future. He had served in the MLB for less than a season as of 2024. He won’t be able to sign a free agent contract until after the 2029 campaign. As a Super Two player, Miller will undoubtedly face arbitration four times, but that process won’t start until after the upcoming season. The A’s had a respectable 18–21 start, but they are still in the midst of a rebuild. Although they have virtually no chance of making the playoffs this year, they do want to be a strong contender during Miller’s tenure as team manager. It is practically unheard of for a player of this calibre to be traded while still having more than five years of control. However, Miller has a concerning injury history, which casts doubt on his status to some extent. Due to shoulder issues, he pitched in the minors hardly at all in 2022. Despite this, the A’s called him up early in the previous season to work from the bench. Before having an elbow UCL sprain diagnosed, Miller started four games. He was put on hold until September. Once back, the A’s employed him for two to three-inning stints out of the bullpen. In an effort to preserve Miller’s health, general manager David Forst declared early in the summer that the team would shift Miller to late-inning relief this season. They’ve stated they’re not against giving him another chance to start at 25, but he might end up being so good as a reliever that the organisation decides not to tamper with success. A pitcher’s arm experiences significant strain when they throw as hard as Miller does. Presumably, the front desk is concerned that he might sustain another serious injury. That would be the primary justification for actually exploring trade proposals, but Miller possesses the talent to be a valuable addition to any team. This is especially true if the A’s intend to bring him back into the rotation in 2025. It’s uncommon to see big moves this early in the season, but last week’s Luis Arraez trade between the Padres and Marlins was noteworthy. Teams will undoubtedly keep attempting to entice the A’s as the deadline approaches. While players like Paul Blackburn, Brent Rooker, Ross Stripling, and Alex Wood could attract attention, Miller would be their most valuable trade asset. In addition, Lucas Erceg can prove to be one of the most interesting relievers available on the deadline market. Erect, a former third baseman who was acquired by the A’s from the Brewers in a small transaction almost a year ago, was a late convert to throwing. Though he struggled in his debut season, with a 4.75 ERA over 55 innings, he has been an important high-leverage arm for manager Mark Kotsay in 2024. Erceg has a 3.60 ERA through 15 innings pitched with 22 strikeouts. His fastball has a mph range of 98 to 99.The A’s are under no pressure to trade Erceg because he still has six years of team control remaining. Though he’s not as dominant as Miller and is already 29 years old, he’s less likely to be a key long-term player after the reconstruction.
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