Red Sox are reaping rewards from a trade deadline target Mariners should have hit

Leading up to the trade deadline, there was plenty of speculation about the Mariners making a move for Mason Miller, in order to shore up their embattled bullpen. In the end talks didn't get very far due to the Padres' audacious demands, which started with wanting ace prospect Kade Anderson. However, there's another reliever called Miller the M's could have gone for instead, who would have come at a cheaper price and has now instead become a hot commodity in Boston.

The player in question is Erik Miller, who ended up being traded to the Red Sox by the Giants. In the leadup up the Aug. 3 deadline, The Athletic's Jim Bowden had proposed the M's acquiring Miller along with Casey Schmitt in exchange for George Kirby. At the time we weren't enamored with the idea, although this was more focused on the idea of adding Schmitt specifically, as opposed to Miller.

In fairness, the Mariners would have been right to want more than what Bowden proposed in exchange for Kirby. In addition, Miller's command alluded to him being too volatile to be the true shutdown reliever they needed, highlighted by a 15.5 BB% this season in San Francisco. However, since arriving in Boston he has become the standard for command, to the point where he's almost making his namesake in San Diego look like 'the other' Miller.

Seriously, it's been ridiculous just how good Miller has looked for the Red Sox, with 10 scoreless appearances which includes 18 Ks and 3 BBs over 10.1 innings. In all, he's on a streak of no earned runs in 24 straight appearances, which began in San Francisco. For all the concern about his command, the primary aim of the game for pitchers is to not give up runs, and his 2.09 ERA for the season is just what the Mariners could have used.

The Mariners bullpen has become a disaster zone which has contiually compromised the team

Things actually started out quite well for the Mariners bullpen this year, and through the end of May they ranked third in the majors with a team 3.11 ERA. However, even then they were barely hanging on and have since eroded, thanks to a combination of injuries, lack of quality options, inconsistency, and the piggyback system at times leaving them a man down. As a result, since the beginning of June they have had the second-worst team ERA in all of baseball, at an unsightly 5.36.

We absolutely appreciate that lamenting this situation regarding Miller is being done with the benefit of some hindsight. However, even at the time of the trade deadline there was a feeling the Mariners didn't take the situation with the bullpen seriously enough. The only addition of any note was Seranthony Domínguez as part of the Luis Castillo trade which, respectfully, was never going to be enough.

Even with Carlos Vargas now back, things are still looking dicey on the bullpen front, especially with Gabe Speier seemingly unable to miss bats anymore. Cooper Criswell and Matt Brash are provisionally scheduled to both return in early September, but Brash in particular has seen his timeline continually moved back. Now, more than ever, it sure would have good to have Miller on board.

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