Mason Miller is the best pitcher in Major League Baseball. Maybe he doesn’t have the conventional numbers to consistently back up that sentiment, but Miller is as exciting, as dominant, and as awe-striking of an arm as you will find in the modern era.
His fastball-slider combo is lethal, causing a historic pace of chase rate, xBA, strikeout rate, and breaking run value — where he was in the 100th percentile in each category in 2025. So what does this mean for Miller and the San Diego Padres in 2026? He’s definitely not going to be a starting pitcher, and as long as they don’t trade him, Miller doesn’t need to be the closer. Let’s emphasize this again. They better not trade him.
Padres’ Mason Miller should be deployed in high-leverage spots moving forward
Putting Miller in a box as the closer for San Diego just doesn’t seem like the perfect fit. Yes, he would be nails in the ninth inning, but someone like Adrian Morejon would also be a productive option as the closer. Morejon won 13 games last season with a 2.08 ERA and three saves; he’s built for the role.
As for Miller, the Friars should signal for him whenever the team is in trouble. Last year, batters hit .118 against Miller in high-leverage situations. With two outs and runners in scoring position, opponents hit .160. In a tie game, Miller held the opposition to an .071 average. These are video game numbers, which can only cement the argument that Miller is not only up for the challenge, but he is a proven stallion in those spots.
If he enters the game in the sixth inning with two runners aboard and two outs against a good team, he can log that final out, then go for another four or five outs. They considered him transitioning from reliever to starter, so the idea of him going multiple innings isn’t ridiculous.
As the Padres are navigating through a disappointing winter, they are desperate to add starting pitching. Mason Miller doesn’t need to be the answer to that just because they haven’t signed anyone new. Let him pitch, as a reliever, in the biggest spots when the lights are brightest — he’s come through time after time. There’s no need to put a label on him. He’s far better than that.
