'Outrageous' Trade Proposal Solves Braves' Biggest Bullpen Problem

Despite holding a record seven games below .500, the Atlanta Braves could still buy at the MLB trade deadline this summer. But any deal the club makes has to also have the 2026 season in mind.

"Team control" will likely be the optimal term for any trade target with the Braves.

On Sunday, Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller proposed one "outrageous" trade proposal to the Braves with Athletics relief pitcher Mason Miller.

"Miller trade speculation was all the rage last year, but maybe he's more gettable now amid a less productive season and with one year less of team control remaining? Also, how many times can the Braves win a trade with the A's? Atlanta already has the A's to thank for Matt Olson, Sean Murphy and Nick Allen, not to mention Tim Hudson once upon a time," wrote the Bleacher Report analyst.

Miller posted a 2.49 ERA and 0.877 WHIP with 104 strikeouts in 65 innings while making the American League All-Star team last season. He also had 28 saves.

This season, he's still racking up saves and strikeouts, but Miller has a 4.70 ERA with a 1.141 WHIP.

Miller didn't get moved last year presumably because the offering cost was too high. Perhaps that cost has gone down enough this year for a team such as the Braves to be Miller suitors.

If the Braves want to stay in playoff contention, they should be desperate to add a relief pitcher. Although Atlanta has the ninth-best bullpen ERA this season at 3.62, the unit has been far from shut down.

Closer Raisel Iglesias has arguably struggled the most of any Atlanta reliever. Iglesias is 4-5 with a 5.28 ERA and 1.370 WHIP in 33 appearances this season. Just last year, he had a 1.95 ERA and 0.736 WHIP in 66 games.

Miller would replace Iglesias and become the team's long-term closer.

"Raisel Iglesias is in the final year of his contract, and not pitching well at all. Atlanta has continued using him in high-leverage situations, though, largely due to the lack of serviceable Plans B," wrote the Bleacher Report analyst.

"Miller would be both a short-term replacement and ideally a long-term solution for a team that still views itself as a 2025 contender and that otherwise needs to address its closer situation this winter, anyway."

Such a trade, though, wouldn't come cheaply for Atlanta. In the "outrageous" proposed trade, the Braves sent three pitchers, who are all ranked in the top 20 overall prospects in the Braves organization, to the Athletics.

Two of them were in the top 10 -- No. 4 right-hander Drue Hackenberg, No. 9 right-hander Lucas Braun and No. 20 right-hander Rolddy Muñoz.