The Oakland Athletics find themselves well out of the running for a postseason spot after the trade deadline. They made the decision to part ways with some players in order to focus on building for the future.
However, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Athletics may have missed an opportunity by not trading a specific player.
“The issue at hand is Mason Miller,” expressed Rosenthal on Foul Territory. “In the current market, he is still considered a reliever. There’s uncertainty about whether he will continue to perform at a high level over the next few years. Relievers can be unpredictable, and Miller has a history of injuries. Although he recently injured his pinky on his glove hand and is sidelined for a bit, there was still potential to trade him. Other players on the injured list were still able to be traded, and he was the one player I thought could have been moved to see what kind of return they could get.”
The Athletics could have maximized Miller’s value by making a move. There may still be a chance to do so in the offseason, as Miller has had an impressive rookie season, boasting a 2.21 ERA in 34 appearances with 15 saves.
It’s worth noting that Miller wouldn’t have been the only player on the injured list to be traded. Both Tommy Edman and Alex Cobb were traded during their rehab assignments.
If the Athletics had acted, they could have potentially received a substantial return in prospects. Unfortunately, with the trade deadline passed, they have missed their opportunity for this year.
With a record of 45-65 as they enter August, the Athletics currently reside in last place in the American League West.
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