San Diego Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller has finalized a trade that brings pitchers Mason Miller and J.P. Sears from the Oakland Athletics to the Padres. This acquisition marks a significant move for the Padres, who have been exploring major deals over the past week, aiming to bolster their roster.

Mason Miller's addition is particularly noteworthy, as reports indicate that the Padres are interested in developing him as a starting pitcher, potentially as early as this season. Since his Major League Baseball debut in 2023, Miller has showcased impressive capabilities out of the bullpen for Oakland, boasting a 3.16 ERA and 201 strikeouts across 136.2 innings over three seasons. However, control has occasionally been an issue; this season, he averages 4.2 walks per nine innings, which places him 135th among 169 qualified relief pitchers, resulting in a 3.76 ERA in 38.1 innings. Historically, Miller has primarily served as a starter in the minor leagues, yet his outings have not been lengthy, totaling 39.1 innings over 16 appearances in the Athletics' system.

The addition of J.P. Sears enables the Padres to postpone the transition of Miller to a starter role until next season, allowing him adequate preparation time during the offseason. Sears, who has served as a back-of-the-rotation starter, brings the ability to eat innings, though he is not expected to be a transformative presence for the Padres, recording a 4.95 ERA in 111 innings this season. Both players are under team control for multiple years, as Sears has three years of arbitration eligibility remaining before hitting free agency in 2028, while Miller is not set to reach free agency until after the 2029 season. The Padres made a significant investment in this deal, parting ways with prospect DeVries, who was recently ranked as the No. 3 overall prospect in MLB.com's top 100 list. DeVries, an 18-year-old signed by the Padres in January 2024 as part of their international free-agent class, is currently batting .245/.357/.410 in 82 games at High-A. Another player involved, Braden Nett, who signed with the Padres in 2022 as an undrafted free agent, has faced injury challenges, totaling 182.2 innings over the past three years, but he has shown promise with a 3.79 ERA and 209 strikeouts in 54 minor league appearances. The inclusion of Henry Baez and Eduarniel Nuñez offers additional depth for the Athletics, with Nuñez potentially making an immediate impact in the MLB bullpen if required. This bold move by Preller signals the Padres' ambition, especially as they have narrowed the gap with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West to just three games. The Athletics, in return, acquire two valuable assets, including an elite prospect poised to advance through the minor leagues alongside rookie talents Jacob Wilson and Nick Kurtz.