The 2026 MLB trade deadline is here at 6 p.m EST. There have already been some big moves that have happened before and on Monday morning. One team that has been quiet so far is the San Diego Padres. It remains to be seen what AJ Preller ends up doing.
San Diego is 58-54, but in third place in the National League West Division, one game behind the second-place Arizona Diamondbacks. They are one game behind the final NL wild-card spot after taking three out of four over the weekend against the San Francisco Giants. However, the Philadelphia Phillies, who hold the final wild-card spot with the Diamondbacks, have already made some impactful moves under Dave Dombrowski.
When it comes to Preller and the Padres front office, it is hard to envision them selling at this point. They have worked their way back into the playoff race. One name that keeps coming up as a potential trade chip is closer Mason Miller. However, Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report had a prediction on his future in Southern California.
San Diego Padres Predicted To Keep Mason Miller
You can never say never when it comes to the MLB trade deadline, but Rymer doesn’t believe that Miller will be traded. In fact, he listed it at 90% that it doesn’t happen.
“If you were in charge of a team that’s just 1.0 game out in the NL wild-card race, would you trade the best closer in baseball?,” wrote Rymer.
“Where this is merely a difficult question for the rest of us, it’s the reality of the situation for Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller. And the general sentiment now is that he’ll hold onto Miller, with ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez reporting Friday that some teams haven’t even bothered to check in.”
Miller is the best closer in the game, no doubt. However, San Diego traded top prospect Leo De Vries to the Athletics for Miller. You don’t turn around and trade your flame-throwing closer after shipping out one of your top prospects. Again, the Padres are just one game out of a postseason berth with four teams, the Diamondbacks, Phillies, and Miami Marlins, for two spots. Miller is a difference-maker in that group of teams.
San Diego Padres Are a Fascinating Team To Watch at the Deadline
Look, you can never say never when it comes to the MLB trade deadline. Could a team completely blow Preller out of the water with a deal to get him to trade Miller? Sure, but the haul is going to have to be a major blockbuster one.
San Diego is a team that could very easily buy at the deadline on Monday to put themselves in a better position to leapfrog Arizona and Philadelphia in the wild-card race, while keeping Miami at bay.
Miller is 4-1 after picking up the win on Saturday night against the Giants. He has a 0.76 ERA with 88 strikeouts in 47.1 innings and is 28-for-29 in save opportunities. If you’re Preller and the Padres, you can’t trade a player like Miller at the deadline, being just one game out of a playoff spot. However, expect the unexpected at the MLB trade deadline.
San Diego Padres Get Prediction on Future of All-Star Pitcher Amid Busy Trade Deadline