Padres Add Mason Miller, JP Sears from A’s in Blockbuster Pitching Deal

By Oliver Wiener August 04, 2025 12:56

The San Diego Padres have made a significant trade deadline splash by acquiring right-handed closer Mason Miller and left-handed starter JP Sears from the Oakland Athletics in a blockbuster pitching deal. The Padres sent a package of promising young talent, headlined by the highly ranked shortstop prospect Leo De Vries along with right-handed pitchers Braden Nett, Henry Báez, and Eduarniel Núñez, to the A’s in exchange for two key arms aimed at bolstering San Diego’s playoff push .

Mason Miller, 26, is viewed as one of the premier closers available on the market, boasting an electric fastball that averages 101 mph and a devastating slider that generates many swings and misses. This season, Miller has converted 20 saves in 23 opportunities, striking out 59 batters and maintaining a 3.76 ERA. He has already proven his mettle with an All-Star nod in 2024 and comes with four more years of team control through 2029. Despite a history of arm injuries that moved him into a bullpen role, Miller has been excelling with careful management, including regular rest days between appearances .

JP Sears, 29, adds depth to the Padres’ rotation as a southpaw with solid major league experience. He holds a 7-9 record this year with a 4.95 ERA and 95 strikeouts across 22 starts. While Sears’ stuff may not dazzle in terms of overpowering hitters, he excels at inducing weak contact and pitches effectively enough to consume innings reliably. The Padres see value in Sears as an innings eater who can stabilize the back end of the rotation or provide insurance if other starters like Dylan Cease are moved or injured .

Padres general manager A.J. Preller has long been aggressive in pursuit of a World Series title, and this trade underscores his win-now approach. San Diego, sitting in the National League’s final wild card spot with a 60-49 record and trailing division-leading Dodgers by three games, clearly values the proven help Miller and Sears bring over youthful upside. The cost was steep: Leo De Vries, ranked as the No. 3 prospect in baseball by MLB Pipeline and considered a future star at shortstop, was the centerpiece going to Oakland. De Vries is a switch-hitter with impressive plate discipline and power potential, and the loss of such a prized prospect highlights the Padres’ commitment to competing in the present .

Preller commented on the deal, “We see Mason as one of the premier closers in baseball, a true difference-maker at the back of our bullpen. JP adds a valuable lefty arm in the rotation, and together they give us depth and flexibility pitching down the stretch and into next year. The price was high, but our window to win is now, and we’re all-in.” Meanwhile, Athletics president Dave Kaval emphasized the value of the prospects received, noting their potential to form the core of Oakland’s rebuild.

Statistically, Miller’s dominance is reflected not only in his save conversion rate 48 saves on 54 chances with an 89% success rate over his two seasons as a closer but also in his strikeout rate (40% K rate) and a microscopic .161 opponent batting average against. Sears, though less dominant, contributes a reliable innings workload and a low-hard-contact profile that the Padres expect to leverage effectively in their pitching staff. The Padres also recently addressed catching depth by acquiring Freddy Fermin, further showing their intent to plug roster gaps on the fly .

This trade ranks among the most high-profile of the 2025 MLB deadline, balancing immediate major league contributions from Miller and Sears against the long-term upside of top prospects. For Padres fans, the move signals a push to capitalize on a veteran core led by stars like Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr., and Xander Bogaerts. For the Athletics, trading proven talent for high-upside youth aligns with their longer-term rebuilding strategy.

The Padres will look to integrate Miller quickly into the bullpen, likely using him as their closer, while Sears provides versatility in the rotation. Both pitchers bring several years of controllable team control, offering San Diego roster flexibility into the coming seasons. With the playoff chase heating up in the NL West, this deal could prove pivotal for the Padres’ postseason ambitions.