But Preller, like Beane before him, prefers to focus on what he gets rather than what he gives, and how this year's prize, Miller, joins Justin Upton, Craig Kimbrel, Blake Snell, Yu Darvish, Joe Musgrove, Josh Hader, Juan Soto, Dylan Cease, Luis Arráez and Tanner Scott -- players who came back in deals and, in varying ways, made the Padres matter.

The Astros were sniffing around the Dylan Cease market at the trade deadline, but there is one player they refused to give the Padres.

Preller brought flame-throwing closer Mason Miller along with starter J.P. Sears to San Diego in a deal with the A’s, trading away No. 3 overall prospect Leo De Vries and three other top-20 prospects in the Padres’ system.