Padres activate Mason Miller from bereavement list

Miller took the mound with the game tied in the ninth inning against the Braves. He struck out two in a clean frame, then returned for the top of the tenth. He retired all three batters once again with one strikeout before the Padres walked it off in the bottom of the frame to give Miller the win. The 27-year-old right-hander has been the game’s top closer, posting a 0.79 ERA, 0.79 WHIP, and a 66/13 K/BB ratio with 21 saves across 34 innings.

Miller made things a little interesting by allowing a single and a walk with two outs, but he struck out Mike Yastrzemski to end the game. He’s second in the majors in saves, three behind Cade Smith and two ahead of Bryan Baker and Riley O’Brien.

Miller was summoned in the tenth inning for his first appearance back from the bereavement list after the Padres took a three-run lead in the top of the frame. He allowed the runner on second to score on a base hit, but closed out the game with two strikeouts for his 20th save of the season.

Miller, who picked up an impressive four-out save against the Orioles on Sunday, will be away from the club on bereavement leave for the next few days. He’s converted 19 saves with a microscopic 0.90 ERA and 59/12 K/BB ratio across 30 innings this season. His absence will result in either Jason Adam or Adrian Morejon handling any save chances for the Padres. The other dark horse name to watch is hard-throwing rookie Bradgley Rodriguez, who has been an unexpected revelation this season. Fantasy managers should anticipate Miller returning later this week.

Miller hadn’t pitched in five days, so the Padres felt comfortable asking for an extra out from him today, though they had to delay the game for a couple of minutes to make sure he had enough warmup throws. It’s Miller’s fourth consecutive hitless outing. He’s thrown exactly 30 innings with three earned runs allowed and 59 strikeouts this season.

Miller had gotten some work in on Friday, giving up one run in a non-save situation. He was summoned again on Saturday with a one-run lead and held the Mets scoreless, working around a walk with one strikeout to convert his 18th save of the season to go with a 1.01 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, and a 51/12 K/BB ratio across 26 2/3 innings.

The Padres didn’t get three innings out of Lucas Giolito tonight, so perhaps they would have been less aggressive with Miller if the pen hadn’t already been heavily taxed, but manager Craig Stammen brought Miller in with two on and two out in the eighth, clinging to a two-run lead. Miller walked James Wood, but got Luis García Jr. to line out to left after a tough at-bat to close the inning. Curtis Mead walked to start the ninth, then Miller mixed in a routine flyout to right between a pair of strikeouts to end the game. His ERA is 0.72 and he keeps pumping 101 on the radar gun. This Miller is pretty, pretty good.

Miller treated his former team unkindly. He didn’t allow a hit, and he’s now converted 16 saves; putting him just below a 50-save pace on the season. Miller has been sensational for the Padres in 2026 to the surprise of essentially no one, and the scoreless frame lowers his ERA to a miniscule 0.76 for his trouble.

Miller spotted the Dodgers two baserunners in a 1-0 game, but after walking Freddie Freeman and Kyle Tucker, he retired Will Smith, Max Munch and Andy Pages to close it out. He threw 22 pitches in all, so consider him probable for Tuesday.

Miller came into a 2-0 game with two outs in the eighth and gave up an infield single before striking out Connor Joe to end the rally. In the ninth, he walked J.P. Crawford to lead off the inning and gave up a one-out single to Cole Young, but he struck out the other three batters he faced. On the last of those, he retired Brendan Donovan on five pitches, only one of which was in the strike zone. Miller threw 34 pitches tonight, so he might get Saturday off. That would probably put Jason Adam in line for a save opportunity.