5 teams who could actually meet the A's asking price for Mason Miller

The Oakland Athletics have been stubbornly competent in the face of organizational turmoil. As the franchise prepares to briefly relocate to a minor league stadium in Sacramento, we are starting to see the fruits of an arduous, mostly directionless rebuild. The A's will never compete at the highest level with ownership so dedicated to cost-cutting, but in a time of great despair for the fanbase, at least the on-field product is semi-respectable right now.

At 18-21, the A's are third in the AL West, ahead of the Angels (14-24) and Astros (13-24) and not too far behind the second-place Mariners (20-18). Oakland won't make the playoffs — we should all prepare for the trade deadline fire sale — but it's nice to see the A's playing competitive baseball for once.

One of the primary driving forces behind Oakland's success has been their standout closer, Mason Miller. The 25-year-old has been the best reliever in baseball by a healthy margin, breaking analytics models and striking out 55 percent of his batters faced to date (33 of 60).

Miller is under team control through 2029, with less than a year of MLB service on his resumé to date. There's little incentive for Oakland to trade him, but interest is bubbling up around the league and the right godfather offer could convince the A's to pull the trigger. Miller has suffered multiple significant injuries early in his career and there is natural trepidation about his longevity as a pitcher whose fastball can kiss the mid-100s.

If the A's are concerned enough about Miller's medical history, maybe a trade does transpire. And, if a trade does transpire, these teams should be working hard to make sure they're on the receiving end.

5. Mason Miller can save the Astros' underperforming bullpen

The Houston Astros paid top dollar to pair Josh Hader and Ryan Pressly in what was supposed to be baseball's most intimidating bullpen. Well, it hasn't worked out so well. Hader is experiencing his worst season to date (5.63 ERA, 1-3 record) and Pressly has been similarly ineffective (5.65 ERA, 0-1 record).

There should be some level of positive regression on the horizon. Hader will eventually settle into a rhythm, as will Pressly. The Astros shouldn't necessarily smash the panic button. At the same time, however, Houston is 13-24, dead last in the division with an expensive roster that could lose several key pieces next offseason. There's only so much time to maximize this competitive window.

Miller could be worth the swing. He's an immediate boon in the bullpen with the potential to transition into a starting role, a la Jordan Hicks, somewhere down the line. He's 25 with five years of team control left, so Houston can play the long game, too. Miller helps now while setting up the Astros for a brighter future when their current chapter inevitably closes.

It's late enough in the season for the Astros to start considering drastic changes. A Miller trade will cost several high-value prospects, but the dude has 33 strikeouts in 16.1 innings pitched with a 1.10 ERA and 0.673 WHIP. Maybe that's a little fluky, but we haven't seen a pitcher explode onto the scene like this in a while.

4. Phillies can push all their chips in with Mason Miller trade

The Philadelphia Phillies have the best bullpen in baseball, but Craig Kimbrel's departure in free agency opened the door for another piece. Jose Alvarado is perfectly comfortable in the closer role, but he was optimized as the setup man last season. If the Phillies can upgrade the closer spot while putting Alvarado in a less demanding spot, it's a no-brainer.

Obviously, the Phillies don't need Miller the same way other teams might. Still, Philadelphia cannot rest on its laurels with the best record in baseball. This team has been clawing at the door for years now, but Rob Thomson's squad still has not made it to the mountaintop. Miller represents an all-in approach, but he also carries immense long-term upside.

Miller is an immediate boost to the bullpen, and he's locked up on an affordable rookie contract through 2029. The Phillies can toss around the idea of promoting him to a starting gig down the line as Zack Wheeler and Aaron Nola age. Philadelphia has a solid five or six-man collective in the starting rotation at the moment, but Miller is primed to produce at a high level for the next half-decade. He's the rare win-now move that doubles as an investment in the future.

Even with their red-hot start, the Phillies need every edge possible when projecting toward the playoffs. The Dodgers are a juggernaut and the Braves aren't going away. Philadelphia lost multiple games last October because the back end of the bullpen collapsed. Miller can help avoid a similar fate in 2024.

3. Orioles can avoid Craig Kimbrel Syndrome in the playoffs by trading for Mason Miller

The Baltimore Orioles are set up for the present and the future as well as any team in baseball. Equipped with a preposterously deep farm system, a power-heavy lineup, and a rock-solid bullpen, there really aren't too many holes to poke in this O's squad. That said, Craig Kimbrel is the closer. We all know how that ends.

Ask the Red Sox, the Braves, the Phillies. Kimbrel is a great regular season weapon, one of the most accomplished relievers in MLB history. To call him "overrated" or "below average" would be blasphemous. And yet, time and time again, Kimbrel has crumbled under the pressure of postseason baseball. Baltimore needs an alternative when the lights are bright — at least the option to shift Kimbrel into a less-pressurized role.

Miller can supply just that. He gives Baltimore arguably the best young pitcher working today. He won't come cheap, but the Orioles have more than enough trade ammo to justify the investment. Miller is still 25 — he can grow alongside Baltimore's current core and help spearhead deep postseason runs for the next decade if all goes to plan.

We saw Baltimore go all-in for the first time in ages with the Corbin Burnes trade this winter. Well, it's time to double down. This team is very much the real deal, and Miller has the chance to meaningfully change the Orioles' outlook on the postseason stage. It seems a bit silly to invest in Kimbrel and then trade a boatload of prospects for his replacement, but Baltimore needs to cover all its bases. Miller and Kimbrel can obviously coexist in the same bullpen for now.

2. Cubs can salvage wayward bullpen with Mason Miller trade

The Chicago Cubs' bullpen is in complete disarray. At 22-16, Craig Counsell's club is still a half-game behind Milwaukee in the NL Central. It's almost poetic. But, if the Cubs want to compete at the highest level, the bullpen has to improve. Counsell has long been lauded for his ability to manage a his relievers and navigate matchups, but Chicago simply lacks the personnel.

Adbert Alzolay has been especially rough in the closer spot. His 4.70 ERA and 1.435 WHIP underscores genuine panic in the fanbase and potentially within the organization. There isn't an aspiring contender with a truer need for Mason Miller than the Cubs. He would put a stop to the late-game collapses and solidify Chicago's ability to hold leads.

The long-term nature of investing in Miller should appeal to the Cubs as well. Jed Hoyer runs a tight ship, but Chicago has been notoriously stingy on the financial front for such a major market with competitive aspirations. The Cubs just don't drop top-dollar contracts on pitching. We saw Chicago pass up the chance to go after the likes of Josh Hader and Craig Kimbrel in free agency.

Miller is better than both, and he's under an extremely team-friendly contract for the next half-decade. Factor in the depth of Chicago's farm system, and the Cubs shouldn't worry about paying a premium price to drastically improve their current outlook. Miller is worth every penny (and prospect) for Chicago.

1. Braves can swing for the fences with Mason Miller

The Atlanta Braves aren't far behind Philadelphia when grading the best bullpens in baseball. Raisel Iglesias has been stellar in the closing role — 1.88 ERA and 0.997 WHIP with nine saves and 10 strikeouts in 14.1 innings pitched (15 games). Miller doesn't address a need, so much as he supplies Atlanta with flexibility and long-term upside.

This is the Alex Anthopoulos special. He won't pay top-dollar for pitchers in free agency, but he can swindle teams on the trade market and lock up affordable young talent ahead of time. The Braves would essentially net the MLB's best reliever with five years of team control on the horizon and the chance to familiarize Miller with high-level, postseason competition.

Thinking long term, perhaps Atlanta revisits the idea of Miller starting in future seasons. Chris Sale won't stick around for long, Charlie Morton is on the verge of retirement, and oh yeah, Max Fried is about to hit free agency. Miller should probably stick with what's working in the bullpen role for now, but in a year or two, Atlanta has the ability to explore how Miller's 100 MPH heat and vicious slider translates in a starting gig.

Like the Phillies, Atlanta faces steep competition in the National League and bears the weight of their recent postseason failures. The Braves are right on the cusp. Every little push helps. The Braves have a ton of intriguing pitching prospects to throw at Oakland in trade talks, too. Miller and Iglesias can hold down the best bullpen in baseball for an Atlanta team that is bound to start hitting at historic levels again in the near future. That's the stuff dreams are made of.