What Would it Take for Philadelphia Phillies to Land A's Mason Miller?

If the Phillies are serious about adding Miller, it'll cost them

Jun 16, 2025; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics pitcher Mason Miller (19) walks off the mound after retiring the last batter of the 9th inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images | Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia Phillies are going to be in search of some bullpen help over the next week and a half as the trade deadline nears, and it's tough to argue that there is a bigger piece they could acquire than A's closer Mason Miller.

Earlier this week, it was said that it's a possibility that the A's would listen on the former All Star, but Athletics on SI also said that this may not be the time to move him, even if they're open to it. He has a 4.04 ERA this season with 18 saves, which is fine, but not where he was last year. Potential suitors may be willing to chalk that up to playing in Sacramento and the adjustment that playing in a minor-league facility has been.

From the A's standpoint, they're still hoping to be in contention next year, and trading Miller would be a big blow to their bullpen. If the club struggles again next year, perhaps they could look to move him then, but the hope is that they're on the cusp of taking a big step forward.

That's the rationale for keeping him, at least. That said, Phillies President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski has a knack for moving prospects in win-now trades over his career. Jayson Stark of The Athletic has also said that he's hearing Dombrowski is looking to make a big move ahead of the deadline.

Mason Miller would certainly be a big move, and acquiring him would be costly. Given that the 27-year-old righty is under club control through 2029 and will be in his first year of arbitration eligibility beginning in 2026. Those two factors, plus his performance, are what will drive the price tag up.

What Would a Miller to the Phillies Deal Look Like?

One Phillies player that has been circling around the rumor mill is Mick Abel, their No. 5 prosepct according to MLB Pipeline, and also Pipeline's No. 84 prospect in the minors. Abel, 23, has been up and down this season, posting a 5.04 ERA in six starts for Philadelphia. He's been hurt by the long ball, giving up seven in just 25 innings of work.

In Triple-A he's been outstanding, however, posting a 1.83 ERA across 12 starts (69 innings), so he's the type of pitcher that the A's could slot into the rotation immediately in order to give him a chance to work through some of his troubles.

Given the A's need for pitching, Abel would make plenty of sense in this deal, but if they wanted to shoot a little higher, they could attempt to go after Justin Crawford, an outfielder that's ranked as the Phillies' No. 3 prospect and the No. 46 prospect in baseball. He was also selected out of High School in Las Vegas.

Given that he was drafted and developed by the Phillies, there is a chance that they'd want to hold onto him to have another key homegrown player on the roster. Bryson Stott is the only batter on the Phillies active roster that was drafted by the club, though they do have a couple of international free agents in the mix as well. Alec Bohm and Aaron Nola are the two other big ones, but both are on the IL.

If the Phillies could be persuaded to let Crawford go, that may be the best path forward for the A's. While he doesn't have a ton of pop, he's a solid fielder that can run and has a pretty good hit tool. We wrote recently that A's GM David Forst doesn't plan to move any core pieces at the deadline, but that Tyler Soderstrom, who is hanging out in left field with the emergence of Nick Kurtz, could be on the outside of the "core" designation.

Adding Crawford would bring another skill set to the A's roster, and would also make it so that they would be able to move Soderstrom, potentially for more pitching.

One of these two pieces would likely have to be included in a trade for Mason Miller as the centerpiece of the deal. No. 7 prospect Moisés Chace would be another player the A's could target, with four plus pitches and decent command. Chace is currently recovering from Tommy John surgery, which took place in May.

The A's have not shied away from injured players in these types of deals in the past, and the Phillies likely wouldn't mind acquiring Miller in exchange for him, given that their window is now, and Chace won't be able to return until this time next year, and may not make his debut until 2027.

A final piece they could be after is someone like Seth Johnson, a hard-throwing righty that has had limited opportunities in the big leagues. His slider and his curveball grade well, and he could be a bullpen arm that just needs an opportunity.

The A's also have a few players that they could add to a potential trade to make things work as well. With Max Kepler struggling this season, they A's could include Miguel Andujar, who will be a free agent at the end of the season, or JJ Bleday, who has fallen down the depth chart with the arrival of Denzel Clarke.

Andujar is batting .286 on the season, though he doesn't have a ton of pop in his bat. He is, however, the type of bat a team like the Phillies could use in the postseason, where he'll grind an at-bat and keep the line moving. His defense in left doesn't grade out well, but his bat would be a big upgrade. He could be used off the bench, if needed.

Again, it's unclear if the A's are actually open to moving Miller, but if he were to be moved they'd need to be blown away by the offer. Including Crawford or Abel would be a nice first step in that process. It would also be great for the A's closer to be closer to home, though he grew up a Pittsburgh Pirates fan.