MLB insider's trade bombshell was perfectly timed for a Mariners bullpen meltdown

Generally speaking, the trio of Andrés Muñoz, Matt Brash and Gabe Speier has been excellent this season. However, there's still a couple of reasons to have some concern when it comes to the Seattle Mariners bullpen situation.

The first relates to the bullpen as a whole with the Mariners relievers ranking tied-10th in the majors in team ERA, which admittedly doesn't sound too bad on its own. However, they also rank tied-13th in opposing team batting average, 17th in WHIP and 19th in strikeouts ahead of Saturday's game versus the Detroit Tigers.

The second reason for some concern comes to the aforementioned trio, who shouldn't (and can't) be expected to be relied upon to carry the bullpen load for the remainder of the 2025 campaign. Nowhere was this more brutally encapsulated than during Thursday's series finale against the New York Yankees at Yankee stadium, where Brash, Muñoz, and Speier combined to throw away what seemed like an insurmountable lead for the Mariners.

People may argue that this was just one game, but as we wrote on Friday, Muñoz recent form in general has not been the best. The point is, whether his slump proves temporary or not, the Mariners need reinforcements to boost their overall bullpen strength and reliability.

Former MLB Executive of the Year has an answer for the Mariners

As such, former baseball general manager and now MLB insider Jim Bowden's comments during an appearance on Seattle Sports’ Bump and Stacy were perfectly timed, in offering a potential solution for the Mariners. Bowden said: "I know (Mariners president of baseball operations) Jerry Dipoto has always wanted Mason Miller from the Athletics."

Miller definitely holds some intrigue as the Athletics' closer and having last season earned an All-Star selection in just his second year in the majors. He excelled in 65.0 innings over 55 appearances, with a 2.49 ERA, 2.18 FIP, 0.877 WHIP and ridiculous 41.8 percent strikeout rate.

The 26-year-old had some struggles to begin this season which have resulted in a 4.28 ERA, but you can swap a 6.11 ERA in his first 18 appearances for a 2.25 ERA in his past 15. In fairness, outside of the ERA disparity he has 17 saves in 20 opportunities, a 2.04 FIP, 1.069 WHIP and a similarly spectacular 40.0 strikeout rate.

If there's any doubts remaining, Miller's Baseball Savant page greatly helps his case, highlighted by ranking between the 98th and 100th percentile in xBA, fastball velo, Chase%, Whiff% and K%. Things also look promising from a contract perspective, with him making $765K this season and then having four more years of arbitration eligibility before becoming a free agent after 2029.

Can the Mariners actually get Mason Miller?

Of course, just because the righty looks like a good fit for the Mariners bullpen doesn't mean their AL West rivals will want to actually give him up. Bowden does reference this as well, as he said: "I’m not sure (Dipoto) is going to get (Miller) this time around, but it’s certainly probably worth the conversation."

Aside from performing their due diligence, the Mariners are in an excellent position to make moves for quality additions, helped by one of the top farm systems in the majors. As Bowden said: "The good thing about Jerry is the owners are willing to spend some money here at the deadline, and his prospect cabinet is full so he has as good a chance of making a trade at the deadline of any of the contending teams in either league."

There's little doubt Miller can help boost the relieving depth of the Mariners bullpen and make for an intimidating group alongside Muñoz, Brash and Speier. Now, it's a case of aiming to entice the Athletics to reluctantly part company with their main closer before the July 31 trade deadline.