1 of 5 | Former Athletics closer Mason Miller went 1-2 with a 3.76 ERA over his first 38 appearances this season. File Photo by Matt Pearce/UPI | License Photo
The San Diego Padres acquired All-Star closer Mason Miller and starting pitcher JP Sears through a trade with the Athletics, the teams announced Thursday.
The Padres sent shortstop Leo De Vries — the No. 3 prospect in baseball — and right-handed pitchers Henry Baez, Braden Nett and Eduarniel Nunez to the Athletics in exchange for Sears and Miller.
Miller, 26, went 1-2 with a 3.76 ERA over 38 appearances so far this season. He earned 20 saves. The three-year veteran went 2-2 with a 2.49 ERA and 28 saves over 55 appearances last season en route to his first All-Star selection. He owns a career 3.16 ERA and earned 48 saves through his first three seasons.
That bullpen is led by All-Stars Robert Suarez and Jason Adam, who own respective 3.43 and 1.89 ERAs. Suarez leads MLB with 30 saves.
The Padres already own MLB’s best bullpen, with their relief pitchers combining for a league-low 2.97 ERA. Padres starters combined for a 3.97 ERA through 109 games, which ranks 7th in the National League.
Sears, 29, went 7-9 with a 4.95 ERA over his first 22 starts this season. He went 29-39 with a 4.48 ERA through the first 103 appearances of his career. Sears initially joined the Athletics through a 2022 trade from the New York Yankees.
Miller and Sears are also eligible for arbitration in 2026. Nett was the Padres No. 3 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline. Baez and Nunez were their respect Nos. 13 and 17 prospects.
De Vries, 18, hit .241 with 19 home runs, 84 RBIs and 21 stolen bases over his first 157 minor league appearances.
Nett, 23, went 5-4 with a 3.39 ERA over 17 starts this season for the Double-A San Antonio Missions. He went 12-8 with a 3.79 ERA over his first 54 minor league appearances.
Baez, 22, went 4-2 with a 1.96 ERA over his first 20 starts this season for the Missions. He went 19-15 with a 3.13 ERA over the first 88 minor league appearances of his career.
Nunez, 26, went 0-0 with a 3.86 ERA over four appearances this season for the Padres. He went 25-23 with a 3.89 ERA over the first 219 minor league appearances of his career.
The Padres (60-49) are on a five-game winning streak. They sit in second place in the National League West, three games behind the division-leading Los Angeles Dodgers (63-46). They will host the St. Louis Cardinals (55-55) at 9:40 p.m. EDT Friday in San Diego.
The Athletics (48-63) won six of their last seven games. They sit in last place in the American League West, 15 games behind the division-leading Houston Astros (62-47). The Athletics will host the Arizona Diamondbacks (51-58) at 10:05 p.m. Friday in West Sacramento, Calif.
