Athletics Owner Had Zero Intentions to Trade Mason Miller Before Padres Called

One phone call can change everything.

Ahead of the 2025 trade deadline, San Diego Padres president of baseball operations AJ Preller was presumably doing what he usually does and seeking out the best deals possible to improve his team.

As for Athletics owner John Fisher, he had no idea what Preller would ask of him leading up to it.

Last season's blockbuster deal brought in one of the game's most untouchable relievers in Mason Miller, but sent away four prospects, including Leo De Vries, the top prospect in the organization and one of the best in all of baseball.

Athletics owner John Fisher recently revealed to The Athletic that before Preller approached him, he had no plans to deal his then-26-year-old All-Star.

“I think we thought Mason Miller would be with us forever,” Fisher said. “He is a one-of-a-kind athlete, and the greatest closer in the game, but at the time that we decided to trade him to San Diego and get (shortstop Leo) De Vries in return, it made a lot of sense.

“If you had asked me a month before, what are the chances of this, I would have said, you know, zero.”

How Is Leo De Vries Doing This Season?

The 19-year-old is currently raking in Double-A, batting .286 with six home runs and 23 RBIs. Though there are no immediate plans for him to make his MLB debut this season, Athletics manager Mark Kotsay didn't exactly rule it out this past spring.

How is Mason Miller Doing This Season?

As for Miller, he has continued to show why parting ways with such a prospect was worth it. He leads the National League with 19 saves and currently has an ERA of 0.90.

When he is regarded as one of the most unhittable pitchers in baseball, it is far from hyperbolic.

He ranks in the 100th percentile across MLB in average fastball velocity, average exit velocity, swing-and-miss rate, strikeout percentage, hard-hit rate and barrel percentage (he has yet to allow a batter to barrel one of his offerings this year).

Miller rightfully uses his dominant fastball a lot, but his slider is actually his most-used pitch. The 101.3 mph average heater is used 42.2% of the time, but Miller slams on the brakes and throws his 87.8 mph slider 54.6% of the time to constantly keep batters off balance.

Perhaps this season's trade deadline will have another blockbuster trade (or two) that moves the needle for the Friars, allowing fans to see Miller's dominance deep into October.

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