Mason Miller, the Padres’ elite closer, wrapped up the 2026 season looking even better than ever before, posting a ridiculous 1.67 ERA over 70 innings of work. He absolutely carved up opposing hitters, striking out 129 batters and now he is the obvious frontrunner for the NL Reliever of the Year Award. This guy was a total game-changer for San Diego.
Miller Was Flat-Out Filthy in 2026
Remember when the Friars shipped off their No. 3 overall prospect Leo De Vries at the 2025 Deadline to get Miller? Yeah, it’s paying off big time. He was already dominant down the stretch in 2025 as a setup guy, giving up just two runs in 23 1/3 innings for a 0.77 ERA. But 2026? He stepped it up even more. Miller didn’t just rack up a stellar 1.67 ERA, he also held opponents to a minuscule .152 batting average and a 0.90 WHIP. The dude actually set a Padres’ franchise record for consecutive scoreless innings with 34 2/3 frames, which is the eighth-longest scoreless streak by a reliever in MLB history. When Miller was on, nobody could touch him.
The One Glitch In An Otherwise Perfect Season
Even with those eye-popping numbers, Miller had one tiny hitch that kept his overall grade from an A+ to an A. His fastball, as tantalizing as it is, sometimes just wouldn’t find the zone. It wasn’t a constant issue, but when he lost it, he *really* lost it, leading to 26 walks on the season. May was a particularly weird month for him, where his WHIP jumped to 1.24, more than 0.30 points over his season average. But honestly, even with those command struggles, Miller’s stuff was so good he still found ways to get out of jams. He was still, without a doubt, one of the best relief pitchers in baseball.
With the season in the books, Miller’s incredible performance earned him a spot as a finalist for the NL Reliever of the Year Award, up against Jhoan Duran and Trevor Megill. While those two are phenomenal, Miller is clearly the guy to beat for the hardware. Looking ahead to the coming season, with Jason Adam and Adrian Morejon potentially heading out, Miller isn’t just a closer, he’s going to be one of the Padres’ most important arms. He’s proven he can carry the load, and next year, you just know he’s going to be dialed in from day one.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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