Brian Cashman has some very busy days ahead with the trade deadline approaching, given that any additions made now could prove to be the key to a deep postseason run. The New York Yankees have until 6 p.m. ET on August 3 to acquire Mason Miller and address their bullpen issues. With captain Aaron Judge sidelined and the catching position also taking a hit, the Yankees could certainly use Miller. But the real question is: Are the San Diego Padres willing to trade him? One MLB insider weighed in on the scenario.

“If he is really available, it is going to hurt the Yankees so much to go get this player,” Joel Sherman of the New York Post noted. “It’s going to be like where you just can’t say, ‘Well, that guy is off limits.’ It might take Lombard, and then you are gonna have to decide.”

Miller is under club control until the 2029 season and will become an unrestricted free agent in 2030. Any team acquiring Miller will also acquire control over him for the next four seasons. He is not a rental, and that sends his asking price through the roof.

Moreover, the Padres had also paid a hefty price to acquire him from the Athletics on July 31 last season. The Padres sent Leo De Vries, a top prospect, and three other minor league players to the Athletics for Miller.

If the Yankees were to acquire him, they must be prepared to part ways with multiple players. Though the Yankees are reportedly ready to offer outfielders Jasson Dominguez and Spencer Jones in the trade, it might cost them more. The Padres could even ask for the Yankees’ top prospect, George Lombard Jr. As Sherman pointed out, no player is off limits when it comes to acquiring Mason Miller.

The bullpen has been one of the biggest voids for the Yankees since last season, and Cashman is always in the hunt for a reliable arm. The Padres’ 27-year-old flamethrower has emerged as their top target. Wielding a slider and a fastball that comfortably sits between 101mph and 103 mph, Miller excels at shutting down opposing lineups in the late innings. Alongside Devin Williams, Miller’s addition to the bullpen would provide Aaron Boone with two closer options. The duo can preserve leads as well as bring down games to seven innings, especially in the playoffs.

“If the Yankees got Mason Miller, it’s almost anything else that would happen after that would be thought of by them as a huge victory at the trade deadline,” Sherman observed.

With a 58-45 record, the Yankees hold the top Wild Card spot in the AL. Miller, with a 0.86 ERA and 25 saves across 41 outings, can be the Yankees’ ammunition for a deep playoff run. However, the odds of the Padres trading Miller? That remains the question.

“I don’t think the Padres want to trade. I think they want to go for it,” Sherman added.

Mason Miller’s future in San Diego ultimately depends upon the Padres, who can easily back out of a trade involving one of their top talents.

In the meantime, though, Mason Miller has expressed his desire to pitch more for his team.

Mason Miller needs more action on the mound

After dropping five out of their first seven games in the second half of the season, the San Diego Padres are unable to create enough pitching opportunities for Mason Miller. His latest appearance came during the Padres’ 8-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves on July 21. With the Padres leading, they did not need Miller to pitch, but according to Craig Stammen, it was a matter of keeping him ‘sharp.’

“I show up every day prepared to pitch,” Miller told The San Diego Union-Tribune. “I’m not mad at him. I’m frustrated, like everyone else.”

Against the Braves, he allowed a walk and a hit, while preserving the Padres’ lead.

With the Padres not securing ninth-inning leads frequently enough, Miller’s workload has been less than ideal.

“Right now, I feel good. I can get out there any time,” the All-Star stated. “I don’t care what the score is. Gotta pitch. Gotta pitch to stay sharp.”

With the trade deadline around the corner and teams like the Yankees being linked to Miller, the Padres may trade him if they do not make it to the playoffs. They are 4.0 games out of a wild card spot. If Miller wears a new jersey after the trade deadline, maybe then he will get more opportunities on the mound.