The San Diego Padres acquired right-hander Mason Miller, the top closer on the trade market, and lefty starter J.P. Sears from the Athletics on Thursday.
They are paying a big price, however, sending shortstop Leo De Vries, an 18-year-old phenom, to the A’s. De Vries is ranked as the No. 3 prospect in baseball by MLB Pipeline.
Three right-handed pitchers also are going to the A’s with DeVries, all among their top 20 prospects, as listed by MLB Pipeline: Braden Nett (No. 3), Henry Baez (No. 13) and Eduarniel Nunez (No. 17).
Miller, 26, has spent two-plus seasons with the A’s, who selected him in the third round of the 2021 MLB Draft from Gardner-Webb. He was an American League All-Star and finished fourth in Rookie of the Year voting last season, when he was 2-2 with a 2.49 ERA and 28 saves in 55 relief appearances. He had 104 strikeouts in 65 innings.
This season, he is 1-2 with a 3.76 ERA and 20 saves, throwing just 38 1/3 innings and striking out 59.
For his career, he has six blown saves, and batters have a .172 average against him.
Sears, 29, began his career with the Yankees in 2022 and was traded at the deadline that year in the deal that sent A’s pitchers Frankie Montas and Lou Trivino to New York.
He is 7-9 this season with a 4.95 ERA in 22 starts.
With the A’s, he has a 26-39 record and a 4.59 ERA in 96 games (95 starts). His career record is 29-39 with a 4.48 ERA in 103 appearances (97 starts).
The Padres signed DeVries, who was the No. 1 international prospect at the time, to a $4.2 million bonus in January 2024. He has drawn frequent comparisons to San Diego star Fernando Tatis Jr.
A native of the Dominican Republic, De Vries is a switch hitter. Assigned to High-A Fort Wayne, he is hitting .245 in 82 games with 10 doubles, four triples, eight homers and 46 RBIs in 82 games. Known for an exceptional eye at the plate, he has walked 52 times and struck out 72.
MLB Pipeline projects De Vries will be a major leaguer in 2027.
Nutt and Baez both spent this season with Double-A San Antonio.
Nutt, 23, was 5-4 with a 3.39 ERA in 17 starts, striking out 86 batters in 74 1/3 innings.
Over 20 starts, Baez, 22, was 4-2 with a 1.96 ERA. He has 89 strikeouts in 96 2/3 innings.
Between San Antonio and Triple-A El Paso, the 26-year-old Nunez was 4-1 with seven saves and a 2.83 ERA in 29 relief appearances, striking out 56 over 35 innings.
He made his MLB debut with the Padres on July 2 and appeared in four games in relief, allowing two runs on four hits and four walks in 4 2/3 innings.
–Field Level Media
