Mason

Miller

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.

After a clutch Gavin Sheets home run to put the Padres up in the top of the ninth, Miller came in for the bottom of the frame to slam the door. He allowed a lead-off single, but retired the next three to draw himself even with Cade Smith at 13 saves to lead the league. We’re almost numb to his 102 mph fastballs and diabolical sliders at this point because of how consistent he’s been this season.

Entering in the eighth for the second time this season, Miller got a Jordan Walker groundout with two on to end a threat. In the ninth, he walked two and struck out four, with the third of those reaching on a wild pitch. JJ Weatherholt was caught looking to end the game with the bases loaded. Miller threw 29 pitches, so he might take a seat on Sunday. If so, Jason Adam could be the choice to close.

Miller had been stuck on 10 saves for eight days, just because the Padres hadn’t presented him any opportunities. It was nice to see him fan three out of four batters today. He had struck out just two in his previous four innings.

Mason Miller: Human? We’re surprised to. For the first time this season, Miller allowed earned runs, and he did it in a non-save situation, so it’s a double bummer for fantasy managers. He threw only two four-seam fastballs in this one, and they were both over 101 mph so it appears this was just a case of baseball being a really hard game and an ERA of 0.00 basically impossible. It’s hard to be too concerned — or concerned at all — based on one clunker.

Milller fanned 25 of 38 batters in his first 11 appearances this year, but he’s 0-for-6 the last three days, not that it’s mattered. Since this was another quick inning, he’ll probably be available to work for the third time in four days on Sunday.