Orioles Have Been in Touch on Mason Miller

Jason Burke | Jul 19, 2024

May 3, 2024; Oakland, California, USA; Oakland Athletics relief pitcher Mason Miller (19) before the game against the Miami Marlins at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports / Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

Not too many teams have the farm system required to even make an offer for Oakland A's All Star closer Mason Miller. The Baltimore Orioles are one of those teams.

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the O's have been in touch with Oakland about Miller. Heyman says, "But even if the Orioles’ more obvious need is the rotation, they are in touch on big relievers, including two All-Stars — ex-Oriole Tanner Scott and even the 103.7 mph-throwing Mason Miller. Miller may not go anywhere, but don’t put it past the Orioles to be able to land both a useful or better starter and reliever."

Now, this doesn't mean that the A's are actively shopping Miller or that a deal is imminent or any of that. It just means that the Orioles are one of the teams that have checked in on what it might take to acquire the owner of the fastest pitch in All Star Game history.

Baltimore's farm system is so stacked that they have super talented players in the minors that are currently blocked by All Stars. Jackson Holliday, the game's top prospect, played ten games with the O's at second base earlier this season, but was optioned after going 2-for-34 and striking out in 50% of his at-bats.

Jordan Westburg has been playing a decent amount of second base since, getting into 40 games at the position this season, and was an All Star earlier this week.

The Orioles are loaded, and can basically make any deal happen. The question is whether they will set their sights on Oakland's Mason Miller, and what kind of an offer they'd make that would be too good to pass up.

Keep in mind, Miller is under club control through the 2029 season, so there is no rush on Oakland's end to trade him right away.

As we said previously, however, this may be the last time that the A's could potentially move him with the franchise consistently saying that things will be different in terms of player retention in the future. Once they leave Oakalnd following the 2024 season, they'll have to begin adhering to those words, or else their new fans in Sacramento and Las Vegas will begin to wonder if anything has truly changed.

A Miller trade isn't likely, but it's also not impossible. If he does get moved, Baltimore would be a pretty good bet for where he could land.