Pirates can’t afford to make the same Mason Miller mistake Padres did

My, how times have changed for the San Diego Padres.

A year ago, A.J. Preller went out and got dominant closer Mason Miller, trading then-No. 3 overall prospect Leo De Vries and three other promising farmhands. Now, San Diego’s relief corps, including Miller, could be on the market.

The Pirates should learn from Preller’s mistake and avoid selling the farm in order to shore up the bullpen.

According to MLB Trade Rumors, the Padres will be looking for a controllable starting pitcher, which the Pirates have in spades. But making Jared Jones, Bubba Chandler, or Braxton Ashcraft the linchpin of a trade for Miller would be a colossal mistake.

The 2026 campaign has suggested that Paul Skenes may be human after all and that Mitch Keller is likely a middle of the rotation guy, not a perennial All-Star. The Pirates will need Jones, Chandler, Ashcraft, and any number of pitching prospects in order to continue to compete in the next few years.

Pirates must avoid temptation to mortgage the future in pursuit of Mason Miller

The Padres are a cautionary tale beyond the specifics of the Miller deal itself. Preller not only dealt De Vries but a host of other prospects, and the Padres’ farm system has fallen from one of the most valued to one of the worst in baseball. Had they not locked up Manny Machado, Jackson Merrill, and Fernando Tatis Jr. to long-term deals, the future would be very bleak indeed.

The Pirates are in a similar situation to where the Padres were in a couple of seasons ago. There are high-value prospects up and down the system, making Pittsburgh a potential trade partner for virtually any contender. Need a big-league ready arm? Hunter Barco or Thomas Harrington could be a fit. What about promising young power bat? Can I interest you in Axiel Plaz? A speedy middle infielder? Here’s Johan De Los Santos.

The fact is, no one trade, even for Mason Miller, will likely be the thing that gets the Pirates to the postseason this year. It will take a couple deals, some inspired tweaks, and good luck and health. To compromise the depth and potential that is developing throughout the system would be folly. And if you need a reminder, feel free to revisit last year’s NL Wild Card series.

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