A's Haven't Approached Closer Mason Miller About an Extension
In a conversation with Foul Territory this week, Athletics closer Mason Miller was asked about the potential for him to sign an extension with the club, following the deals handed out to DH Brent Rooker and right fielder Lawrence Butler.
When asked if he's in line for an extension of his own, Miller replied, "I hope so. There's a couple of other guys I think, too. We've got a good group of guys [and] it's really exciting for us to see ownership and [A's GM] David Forst and everyone else believe in us.
"We obviously believe in ourselves, but to have that validation and to start seeing past just this season, and start developing what is to come. That's exciting as a player."
Much like bringing in a big acquisition at the trade deadline can be a huge boost to the clubhouse for similar reasons, A's ownership locking up a couple of key pieces for the foreseeable future has to be a huge boost to the guys as they're getting ready for a new season.
Foul Territory host A.J. Pierzynski followed up by asking if Miller and the A's have talked extension.
"No, not yet. I'm just going to keep doing what I do."
While Miller is certainly one of the faces of the A's franchise, especially after his All Star appearance last season as the team's sole representative, locking up a pitcher can be tricky for any organization, given how seemingly inevitable injuries are for the guys on the mound. Pitchers that throw hard, like Miller, also have a higher risk of injury.
While the two sides haven't talked about an extension yet, it's not like they are up against a clock of any kind, either. The closer is under team control through the 2029 campaign, and will enter his first year of arbitration eligibility as a Super Two next season.
From a front office perspective, obviously any team would love to have Miller on their roster, but locking him in for an additional season or two would be a great PR move, but could limit what they're able to do down the road if he loses a tick or injuries start cropping up.
Both sides would probably love to get a deal done, with Miller looking for some insurance just in case, and the Athletics holding onto one of the game's top closers for six or seven years.
That said, it feels purposeful that the two extensions that have been handed out have been to position players, given the risk of injury being a bit lower.
The A's did bring in Luis Severino on a three-year, $67 million contract, and Jeffrey Springs, who is owed $21 million over the next two seasons with a $15 million club option for a third year. The difference here is that those are fairly short-term deals, and it's hard to argue against adding that kind of talent in that kind of timeframe.
If the A's and Miller were to come to an agreement, it would likely be after another season or two, so that the front office would feel more comfortable with the inherent risks involved for any hard-thrower.
Jason has been covering the A’s at various sites for over a decade, and was the original host of the Locked on A’s podcast. He also covers the Stanford Cardinal as they attempt to rebuild numerous programs to prominence.