The Oakland Athletics are a bad team with some young talent that has drawn the interest of other MLB contenders at the trade deadline.
However, their outstanding young closer, Mason Miller, won't be going anywhere at the deadline as he will be on the IL for a while with a fractured left pinky finger.
But how long can fantasy managers expect Miller to be out and can he return to his closing duties before the end of the fantasy baseball season?
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Mason Miller Injury Update for Fantasy Baseball
Miller injured his pinky finger when he pounded a training room table in frustration. The only good news here is that it is his non-throwing hand and therefore he should be able to continue to throw during his recovery.
Mason Miller fractured his left pinky by punching a padded table in the training room pic.twitter.com/vQBg50IyXK
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) July 25, 2024
Miller was having an outstanding season in his first year as a closer for Oakland. He debuted last year as a starter but only threw 33 innings in 2023.
This season, he's gone 40 frames as a reliever and whiffed 70 batters while amassing a 2.21 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, and locking down 15 saves.
Mason Miller Fantasy Baseball Outlook
Miller is currently on the 15-day IL, however, he is listed as being out "indefinitely." That does not give much clarity as to how long he could be on the shelf and Oakland has very little motivation to rush him back during a lost season.
Fantasy managers can stash Miller on the IL for now until we get a more concrete idea of his potential return date, but it's within the range of outcomes that he gets shut down entirely, too, so consider adding his teammate Lucas Erceg who should get the first crack at closing for Oakland going forward.
Miller certainly won't be traded now, but it remains to be seen what Oakland's plans are for him. Keep an eye on updates on his injury and be prepared to move on if Oakland fails to provide a solid return date for Miller in the coming weeks.
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