After 56 games into the 2026 MLB season, the New York Yankees sit 1.5 games behind the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League East. Friday begins their three-game series in Sacramento against the Athletics, where the Yankees hope to close the gap on the Rays.
While the current goal for the Yankees is to regain first-place in the East, trade rumors and proposals are swirling around the MLB as the trade deadline approaches.
Big targets for the Yankees at the deadline are pitchers.
The Yankees have been commonly linked to Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal, who would add to their already elite rotation with Max Fried, Cam Schlittler, Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rondon, and Ryan Weathers.
However, the area of support that the Yankees could use the most are bullpen arms. So, why not go and get the best in the game?
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New York Yankees Are Predicted to Trade For San Diego Padres Closer Mason Miller
In sports broadcaster Chris Rose’s recent podcast episode, he makes his 2026 MLB season prediction. This year, it was focused on a blockbuster trade package between New York and San Diego, which would send Will Warren and three of the Yankees top prospects to the Padres for closing pitcher Mason Miller.
“My prediction is that Mason Miller gets traded for the second straight year,” Rose said on his podcast Baseball Today. “And he is going coast-to-coast and will try and bolster the bullpen of the New York Yankees in a major deal.”
Rose highlights the Yankees no. 1 overall prospect George Lombard Jr. as the centerpiece of the trade for the Padres.
“[Padres] are going to need more offensive help that is major league ready,” Rose said about San Diego’s side of the deal.
Along with Lombard Jr., Rose adds that the Yankees would likely send other top prospects like Spencer Jones and Jasson Dominguez along with starting pitcher Will Warren.
Rose’s main argument as to why the Padres should give up a closing pitcher with an ERA of 0.76, 16 saves on the season, and one loss in over a year is that he claims this version of the Padres are not going to win a World Series. So why leave the best closing pitcher in all of baseball on a team that will not win a championship.
“I know the Yankees feel like they are a legit bona fide closer away from winning this thing,” Rose stated.
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How Likely Is the Trade for Mason Miller to Happen?
The trade for Mason Miller on the New York side of this pitch is very probable. They have a deep farm system, and while giving up three top prospects would hurt, it’s not the end of the world if it could help secure a ring for this season, and potentially many seasons to come.
On the San Diego side of this pitch however, it seems unlikely that the Padres’ front office would be willing to give Miller up. The Padres acquired Miller via trade with the Athletics last season that absolutely gutted their farm system.
After Miller’s first loss in over a year, Padres manager Craig Stammen alluded to the idea of wanting to build the bullpen around Miller by giving him another elite arm or two at the deadline.
Although this massive prospect haul from the Yankees would give the Padres players who are MLB ready, it is unlikely that this trade would go through. The Padres are not are not out of postseason contention, and trading away Miller would essentially be throwing their season away.
However, the MLB trade deadline is in 66 days and anything can happen.
New York Yankees Linked to Padres’ Elite Closer in New Blockbuster Trade Proposal