The Atlanta Braves have a three-game lead over the Phillies heading into the All-Star break, and the Marlins have crept into the conversation too. But the bigger problem isn’t who’s chasing them. It’s what’s happening in the late innings.
Dylan Lee got torched for three runs against the Cardinals recently. He bounced back with three scoreless outings, but one of those included two walks. Raisel Iglesias had a three-run meltdown against the Mets on Monday, then got a save Wednesday. That kind of inconsistency is why the Braves need to go get Mason Miller from the Padres.
Miller leads the majors in games finished (32) and saves (23). Through 37 2/3 innings, he’s allowed 17 hits and four earned runs. His ERA sits at 0.96. His WHIP is 0.796. That’s not just dominant. That’s the kind of arm that turns a seven-inning game into an eight-inning one come October.
Why the Padres would actually deal him
San Diego gave up Leo De Vries to get Miller before last year’s deadline. De Vries is a 19-year-old who now ranks No. 2 on MLB’s prospect list. The Padres have fallen out of the NL West race, and their farm system needs restocking. It makes sense for them to move Miller while his value is at its peak.
The Braves have what the Padres need: controllable starting pitching and enough prospects to make a real offer. They don’t want to give up Cam Caminiti, their top prospect who’s expected to debut next season. But they’ve got other pieces that could work.
The centerpiece: JR Ritchie
Ritchie is 23 and already has big league experience. In 10 games (seven starts), he’s 1-2 with a 4.60 ERA and 42 strikeouts in 45 innings. The walks are a problem — 28 of them — but according to MLB.com, his stuff fully came back after Tommy John surgery in 2023. His fastball sits around 94 and can touch 97. He throws a four-seamer up in the zone and a two-seamer with sink. Plus a biting slider and a changeup that plays well off his arm speed. He’s also added a curveball and a cutter to give hitters more looks. The Padres might see his walk issues as a rookie thing he grows out of, especially since he can repeat his delivery. MLB.com calls him a future mid-rotation starter.
Ritchie alone probably isn’t enough, though. The Braves would likely need to include Briggs McKenzie, a prospect who’s a few years away but has a hammer curveball that’s already a plus pitch. His fastball sits 90-95, and he’s got a changeup that shows some fade and sink. He’s narrow-framed at 6-foot-2 but has room to add strength. MLB.com’s scouting report says some thought he could’ve been the next Kade Anderson, who went No. 3 overall in the 2025 Draft if he’d gone to LSU. High ceiling, but a ways off.
That’s a big haul for a reliever. But Miller might be the best relief pitcher in the game right now. The Braves can’t sit around hoping injured starters come back and fix everything. They need to be aggressive before the deadline. This is the kind of move that separates a good bullpen from a scary one.
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