MILLER AND SEARS TO SAN DIEGO
The San Diego Padres acquired pitchers Mason Miller and JP Sears from the Athletics for infielder Leodalis De Vries and pitchers Henry Baez, Braden Nett and Eduarniel Nunez.
What does it give the San Diego Padres
The Padres upgrade their pitching staff significantly here. Miller gives them a young, shutdown high-leverage reliever. He should become their closer but may work as a setup man before Robert Suarez this season. As for Sears, he provides much-needed starting rotation depth. The veteran can cover innings and adds a left-hander to San Diego's rotation. The Padres are going all-in again this season, and they now boast one of the deepest bullpens in the league.
What does it give the Athletics
The Athletics are well out of contention again this season, so they will disappointingly move on from Miller. Still, they were able to secure one of baseball's top prospects in De Vries. The switch-hitting infielder is just 18 years old, and is a huge addition for the organization. The trio of pitching prospects also has lots of upside. Baez is a promising starter on the verge of a promotion at Double-A ball, while Nett and Nunez are noted hard-throwers. The A's have a lot of emerging talent, and these younger players could make an impact when their roster is more competitive.
Fantasy impact
In the short term, Miller might lose some value if Robert Suarez remains the Padres closer. But Miller is among the most dominant relievers and should become the closer over time. On the other hand, Sears should benefit from this trade, as he will no longer start home games in hitter-friendly Sacramento. Then, the new A's prospects are still a few season away from MLB, but De Vries in particular will be worth monitoring for fantasy baseball.