Padres-Mets trade rumors hint at bigger pitching shake-up

San Diego, California – If nothing else, this latest report is a reminder that when A.J. Preller is running the Padres, no name is ever truly off the table.

According to The Athletic, Mason Miller’s name has surfaced in trade discussions between the Padres and Mets, with New York also talking to San Diego about starter Nick Pivetta and relievers Jeremiah Estrada and Adrian Morejon. In return, the Padres are said to be intrigued by the Mets’ deep pool of young talent, including both top prospects and controllable major leaguers.

Before anyone panics: The Athletic made clear that franchise cornerstones Fernando Tatis Jr. and Francisco Lindor are not part of these conversations. Still, the mere mention of Miller — acquired less than five months ago at enormous cost — is enough to stop Padres fans in their tracks.

Miller, of course, came to San Diego in a deadline deal with the A’s that stunned the league. The Padres gave up four players, including Leo De Vries, MLB Pipeline’s No. 3 overall prospect, to land Miller and JP Sears. That kind of investment usually signals a long-term plan, especially for a flamethrower who fits neatly into the team’s competitive window. Trading him so quickly would be shocking — but not impossible in a front office that has never been shy about recalculating on the fly.

The broader context matters here. The Padres’ biggest problem entering 2026 is starting pitching. Dylan Cease is gone after signing with Toronto, Michael King is heading toward free agency, and Yu Darvish is expected to miss the entire 2026 season following elbow surgery. That leaves San Diego thin and scrambling, especially with limited payroll flexibility.

That’s why Pivetta’s inclusion in talks initially feels counterintuitive. He’s one of the few established starters currently in the fold. But his $19 million salary next season and his ability to opt out after 2026 complicate the picture. If the Padres view him as more of a short-term asset than a rotation cornerstone, dangling him in talks for younger, cheaper pitching starts to make more sense.

From the Mets’ side, desperation is clearly creeping in. David Stearns has been busy reshaping the roster after a bruising offseason that saw Pete Alonso, Edwin Díaz, and Brandon Nimmo depart. The Mets traded Nimmo for Marcus Semien, signed Devin Williams to close, and reached a two-year deal with Jorge Polanco, who’s expected to see time at first base and DH. Even so, Stearns still has major holes to fill in the rotation, bullpen, and outfield.

That’s where San Diego comes in. The Mets have one of the deepest farm systems in baseball and a surplus of young players who could help the Padres reload quickly. While Nolan McLean, MLB Pipeline’s No. 11 overall prospect, has reportedly been deemed “off limits,” the Mets still boast three other Top 100 prospects in Carson Benge, Jett Williams, and Jonah Tong, plus highly regarded arms like Brandon Sproat. They also have controllable infielders such as Brett Baty and Mark Vientos, players who could contribute immediately at low cost.

For a Padres team trying to stay competitive while threading the needle financially, that profile is undeniably appealing.

At the same time, this is where skepticism kicks in. Trading Mason Miller now would mean selling high before he’s thrown a meaningful number of innings in brown and gold, but it would also reopen wounds from a deadline deal that already cost the organization one of the best prospects in baseball. Unless the return is overwhelming — the kind of package that reshapes the rotation for years — it’s hard to see how moving Miller helps San Diego in the short term.

That tension is what makes this report feel both intriguing and unlikely. The Padres need pitching, not fewer elite arms. Yet Preller has never operated on conventional logic, and the Mets’ prospect depth gives him plenty to dream on.