Blue Jays could look to Padres for bullpen blockbuster on trade market

The Toronto Blue Jays finally got in on the bullpen action this offseason, signing reliever Tyler Rogers to a three-year deal and trading with the Detroit Tigers for Chase Lee. Rogers, who has a 2.38 ERA over nearly 150 innings since the start of 2024, is the ostensible replacement for set-up man Seranthony Dominguez, and he should serve as one of the primary bridges to Jeff Hoffman in the ninth inning.

Of course, that assumes Hoffman will actually continue to get the ninth. Though the veteran right-hander was good on paper in the postseason (1.46 ERA, 37.5% strikeout rate), most fans will remember him surrendering the back-breaking home run to Miguel Rojas in the ninth inning of Game 7 of the World Series.

That may not be a fair assessment of things, but closers are designed to lock the game down in the biggest moments. Hoffman failed to do so, and his regular season performance wasn't all that inspiring either.

If the Blue Jays are insistent on looking for the next tier of upgrade for their relief corps, they may turn their attention to the closer market. And with so many free agents already off the board, the San Diego Padres have perhaps the most intriguing option out there.

Blue Jays could go all-in on 2026 with blockbuster trade for Mason Miller

Hoffman was a reliable force for the Philadelphia Phillies in 2023 and 2024, though he slid back into some poor old habits in his maiden campaign with the Blue Jays. His 4.37 ERA was his worst in a single season since 2021; the same was true for his xERA (3.84) and FIP (4.90). And though he maintained elite chase (97th percentile) and whiff rates (90th percentile), he walked nearly 10% of the hitters he faced while finishing last in MLB in barrel rate.

Contrast that with Mason Miller, the Padres' superhuman closer, and you'll see a clear path to an upgrade. His entire Baseball Savant page is hilariously deep into the red (save for a middling walk rate), and he's finished each of the past two seasons with strikeout rates over 40%.

With four more years of team control remaining via arbitration, Miller would be an affordable long-term solution in the ninth inning for Toronto, which is key when the team owes Hoffman and Rogers a combined $23 million in both 2026 and 2027.

The big hurdle here is giving the Padres the starting pitching and prospects they'd want for such an elite reliever. They surrendered shortstop Leo De Vries at the trade deadline for Miller — the Blue Jays don't have anyone in their system who is near his prospect status.

Still, they have enough major-league rotation depth and top prospect fuel (Arjun Nimmala?) to make something happen if they're truly motivated. With a rotation and lineup that already stack up to any other team in baseball, the Blue Jays could fortify their bullpen in the same manner with a blockbuster trade for Mason Miller.