How the Padres are handling Mason Miller and one of baseball’s most precious arms

SEATTLE — Almost an hour after his most strenuous outing in over a yr, Mason Miller emerged from the coaching room and apologized to a couple ready reporters. If not for the presence of fellow reliever Jeremiah Estrada, the San Diego Padres’ hulking nearer would have been the final participant in the visiting clubhouse. It was late Friday at T-Mobile Park, the place Miller had struck out 4 batters, permitted three base runners and thrown 34 pitches in a shutout of the Seattle Mariners.

He’d pitched solely as soon as throughout the previous 5 days. And, for maybe the third time this season, he’d resembled one thing apart from possibly the most unhittable late-game pitcher of all time.

“I think it’s just inconsistency, really,” Miller mentioned. “That could be a result of workload. You know, I threw a ton. It was the most innings I’ve ever thrown in a month in April. And I feel great, but sometimes you feel great and there’s some responses too.”

As a lot as any variable, how the Padres responded to what Miller says this yr — together with his phrases and his proper arm — might decide whether or not they advance to a 3rd consecutive postseason.

San Diego enter Sunday with three of its greatest stars — Manny Machado, Jackson Merrill and Fernando Tatis Jr. — off to the worst offensive begins of their respective careers. Tatis, as soon as a feared slugger, is as much as 188 plate appearances without a home run.

And but, the Padres have gone 27-18 whereas coming to life deep into shut video games. They lead the majors with 39 runs scored in the ninth inning or later. They additionally rank first, by a large margin, with a 0.44 ERA in the similar time-frame.

Miller, of course, is essentially answerable for that quantity. And the Padres consider it’s comparatively sustainable — so long as Miller stays upright.

“We’re trying to make sure that we keep it in perspective that this guy’s really important for us for the season,” mentioned Padres pitching coach and affiliate supervisor Ruben Niebla.

Before May, Miller made 15 appearances, two greater than his earlier excessive for a calendar month. He additionally averaged an environment friendly 14 pitches per inning, overwhelming opposing batters and, amid elevated utilization, supplying some consolation to the teaching workers.

As he has for years, Niebla concurrently tracks different numbers and biomechanical markers that point out when his pitchers is likely to be fatigued or contending with a hidden harm. Those indicators embody velocity, spin metrics, arm slot and overcompensation in a supply. The image that emerges, Niebla says, is way extra helpful than a easy accounting of pitches and innings.

“It’s more being able to look at science and the data to be able to give you a more holistic approach,” Niebla mentioned. “Obviously, the primary thing is the conversation with the pitcher and how he’s doing, but a lot of times, you also have to trust the medical and the strength (departments).”

Since the starting of final season, the Padres have largely prevented important accidents to the high-leverage relievers who comprise the energy of the roster. When Jason Adam suffered a ruptured quad tendon in September — “a fluke injury,” Niebla mentioned — the All-Star setup man was tied for sixth in the majors in appearances. So had been Estrada and All-Star left-hander Adrian Morejon.

Adam returned from reparative surgical procedure in April and, regardless of diminished velocity, has remained efficient. Morejon, regardless of some poor luck, is throwing tougher than ever. Estrada made a visit to the injured listing final month after his velocity plummeted, however since returning, he has seemed extra like his normal self.

“We feel very comfortable with our process right now,” Niebla mentioned.

“I don’t think that last year any of those guys were put in any vulnerable situation, because they were getting the appropriate days off. … It also gave us an opportunity to really read on them when we needed to. And we did that.”

Time will inform how Miller responds to the similar course of. So far, the outcomes have appeared unassailable. Acquired final summer season from the Athletics, Miller has not surrendered an extra-base hit since Aug. 5, his second look with the Padres. He has already set the franchise’s document for consecutive scoreless innings. His Baseball Savant page is a research in historic dominance.

Lately, although, Miller has proven extra indicators of being human. On April 27, a blown name helped the Chicago Cubs scratch throughout two runs in opposition to him. On May 9, I issued two walks for the first time this season. Friday, he navigated a four-out save whereas throwing his most pitches in a sport since September 2024.

“Definitely, you want to preserve him for the whole season,” mentioned Padres supervisor Craig Stammen, a former reliever himself. “And yet, you want to win a game at the moment, which is difficult to make a decision between those two things when that type of situation is going on.”

Natural regression possible explains some of Miller’s latest blips. Of course, a considerable workload could possibly be one more reason.

“I mean, we’re playing a ton of close games, so it’s kind of just answering the bell,” mentioned Miller, who sprained his UCL in 2023, prompting the A’s to maneuver him to the bullpen upon his return. “And I came out of the gates (this season) really strong, commanding the zone, filling it up. I kind of have gotten away from that recently, which obviously I’m aware of as much as everybody else. But yeah, just kind of embracing that mentality of just getting your team to the end.”

During Saturday’s 7-4 win in opposition to the Mariners, the Padres gave Miller a crucial break.

“It’s really having the open dialogue and then letting him know ahead of time, on a day like today, that he’s down,” Niebla mentioned earlier than the sport. “He can take the day and relax and just really focus on recovery.”

With Miller off, the Padres broke from conference in additional methods than one. Machado, Merrill and Tatis once more went hitless, however Gavin Sheets, Nick Castellanos and Rodolfo Durán all homered for one of the majors’ lightest-slugging groups. When the Mariners despatched the tying run to the on-deck circle in the eighth, Morejon took the mound. He retired the subsequent three batters earlier than Estrada secured his first save since final July.

For San Diego, it was a show of the luxurious of having a deep bullpen.

Still, the Padres should rating extra usually to guard their most invaluable arm. Miller is on tempo for 77 innings, a dozen greater than he is ever thrown in a season.

“He’s willing to help the team win in any way he can,” Niebla mentioned. “There are days that he wants the ball, and we’re trying to make the decision (that) if you are going to take the ball, it’s only going to be for the ninth inning, and that’s it. There is a lot of days, actually a high percentage of days, where we only have him available for three outs.”

Miller, on the different finish of the dialog, frames the trade-off in related phrases.

“It’s never like the game plan and situation (is), ‘Hey, we want to use you for four outs today,’” he mentioned. “It’s just kind of like game situations come, and you don’t really want to get to the end of the game and not have fired me when you have a chance to win the game. So, I think that’s something we’re all aware of, and the communication has been good. And obviously, it’s something I’m prepared to do and excited for when I get the opportunity.”