Philadelphia Phillies Offered Laughable Trade Package to Athletics for Mason Miller

The Philadelphia Phillies will have to do much more if they want to land Mason Miller.

Sep 26, 2024; Oakland, California, USA; Oakland Athletics pitcher Mason Miller (19) throws a pitch during the ninth inning against the Texas Rangers at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. / Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images

It's no secret the Philadelphia Phillies are looking to move on from Alec Bohm.

While trading him isn't a necessity, if the Phillies find a player who can help them in an area of need, they're expected to move him. If Philadelphia can be patient, they could hold out until they find a return package the front office loves.

Moving an All-Star third baseman for questionable compensation, despite the flaws in his game, wouldn't make much sense.

From the sound of things, that's exactly what the Phillies are doing.

There are multiple teams around the league interested in adding a third baseman, including the Athletics. They have been looking to add talent this winter and have already started to do so.

They inquired about Bohm, but according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the conversation ended quickly after Philadelphia asked for Mason Miller.

"The A's, meanwhile, still want to add a third baseman, but the industry demand at that position far exceeds the supply. Free agent Alex Bregman is probably too expensive for the A's, and he can surely find a more desirable place to play than Sacramento. Ditto for the St. Louis Cardinals' Nolan Arenado, who has a full no-trade clause. The Philadelphia Phillies' Alec Bohm is another trade candidate, but when the A's inquired about him, the Phillies asked for All-Star reliever Mason Miller. That ended the conversation, an A's source said."

If the Athletics were to trade Miller, it'd take much more for the Phillies to land him than just Bohm.

Whether the front office would want to make that move, as some might prefer a position player over a guy who throws every few nights as a closer, Miller is simply the more valuable player.

Take away the fact that he was arguably the best closer in baseball last season, was nearly unhittable for much of the first half, and throws 100 mph in his sleep, Miller also doesn't hit free agency until 2030.

He's among the most valuable assets in Major League Baseball, and if that's the type of player Philadelphia is trying to acquire for Bohm, the front office will be waiting for a long time to find a trade partner.

It's relatively early in the offseason, and fans have been critical of the front office's lack of moves, but shooting for the stars isn't the worst idea for now.

Either that, or the Phillies have an unrealistic view of the player Bohm is.