Athletics general manager David Forst said this week that the team isn't considering moving Miller back into a starting role, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
When the Athletics announced last offseason that Miller would be used as a reliever, they didn't rule out the right-hander eventually returning to the rotation. However, it appears that ship has now sailed and Miller's future is in the bullpen. He was one of the best closers in baseball in 2024, posting a 2.49 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and 104:21 K:BB over 65 innings. Given his past health issues, it's not a surprise that the team has opted to leave Miller in a role in which he's proven he can stay heathy and effective.
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Athletics' Mason Miller: Falters in ninth Saturday
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Miller was charged with his third blown save of the season in an extra-inning loss to the Mariners on Saturday, allowing two earned runs on two hits over one inning. He struck out three.
Miller surrendered a game-tying, two-run home run to Luke Raley in the bottom of the ninth inning. The blown save was the right-hander's first since June 14, and the pair of earned runs snapped a four-appearance scoreless streak. Despite the stumble, Miller heads into the final day of the 2024 campaign basking in a breakout season that's seen him accrue 28 saves alongside a 2-2 record, 2.49 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and elite 14.4 K/9 across 65 innings (55 appearances).
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Athletics' Mason Miller: Lands four-out save
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Miller picked up the save Thursday against Texas, striking out two across 1.1 perfect innings.
Miller shut the door on the Rangers in the Athletics' final game at Oakland Coliseum, retiring four straight batters to earn his 28th save of the year. The 25-year-old has been one of the few bright spots for Oakland this season and has established himself as one of the best young arms in baseball. In 64 innings, Miller has logged a 2.25 ERA and a 0.86 WHIP with a 101:21 K:BB.
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Athletics' Mason Miller: Garners win Tuesday
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Miller (2-2) got the win over the Rangers on Tuesday after pitching a scoreless ninth inning. He allowed two hits and struck out two.
Miller entered with the game tied, hoping to keep it that way to give his team a chance to win it in the bottom of the frame. He allowed back-to-back one-out singles but rebounded with a strikeout and fly out to get out of the jam. The A's would end up walking it off to give Miller the win. The right-hander has allowed a baserunner in each of his last five appearances but has still managed to lock up four saves and a win since Sept. 11. For the year, Miller owns a 2.30 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and 99:21 K:BB in 62.2 innings.
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Athletics' Mason Miller: Sets franchise rookie record
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Miller walked one and struck out one in a scoreless ninth inning Wednesday to collect his 27th save of the season in Wednesday's 5-3 win over the Cubs.
The flame-throwing righty set a new Oakland rookie record for saves in the process. Miller has been lights out since returning from the IL in early August, converting all 12 of his save chances during that stretch with a 2.70 ERA, 0.90 WHIP and 26:6 K:BB in 20 innings.
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Athletics' Mason Miller: Converts 24th save
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Miller pitched a perfect inning to earn the save in a 5-4 win over the Astros on Wednesday.
Miller retired the side on nine pitches (seven strikes) to earn his first save since Aug. 28. He's seen little usage in September, pitching four times while allowing five runs (three earned) over 5.2 innings in that span. He's had a couple of bumps in the road this year but has maintained a 2.34 ERA, 0.85 WHIP and 91:19 K:BB over 57.2 innings while converting 24 of 26 save chances.
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Athletics' Mason Miller: Escapes with 22nd save
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Miller earned the save in Tuesday's 5-4 win over the Reds, allowing two runs on four hits with two strikeouts in the ninth inning.
Miller allowed two runs on a season-high four hits before striking out Amed Rosario with two runners in scoring position to end the game. Consider it an off night, as the 26-year-old entered Tuesday's appearance having fired 12.1 consecutive scoreless frames and has now converted 10 straight save chances. On the season, he owns a 2.12 ERA, 0.82 WHIP and 122:33 K:BB across 51 innings.
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Athletics' Mason Miller: Collects 21st save
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Miller struck out one while tossing 1.1 perfect innings to pick up the save Sunday against the Brewers.
Miller collected four outs to pick up his fourth multi-inning save of the season. Miller has not been scored upon in 17 of his last 18 outings since June 14, tossing 20 innings with a 0.90 ERA, 0.60 WHIP, 27 strikeouts and nine saves over that stretch.
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Athletics' Mason Miller: Hits 20-save mark
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Miller picked up the save Thursday against Tampa Bay, allowing one hit with two strikeouts across a scoreless ninth inning.
The uber-talented 25-year-old became the 17th closer to reach 20 saves and extended his scoreless inning streak to 11 frames. Miller has appeared in 41 games this season, tallying a 1.85 ERA and an 81:17 K:BB across 48.2 innings.
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Athletics' Mason Miller: Notches 19th save
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Miller earned a save over the Rays on Monday, issuing one walk and striking out one batter in one scoreless inning.
Miller had a three-run lead to work with in the ninth frame and protected it with relative ease, allowing just one baserunner on a two-out walk. The right-hander has converted each of his past seven save chances, registering a 23:5 K:BB and allowing only two runs over 16 innings during that span. Miller has blossomed in his first campaign as a closer, going 19-for-21 in save opportunities overall and posting a 1.89 ERA, 0.78 WHIP and 79:17 K:BB across 47.2 frames.
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Athletics' Mason Miller: Notches 16th save in return
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Miller pitched a perfect ninth inning to record his 16th save of the season Wednesday against the White Sox. He did not record a strikeout.
Activated off the injured list Wednesday morning, Miller needed just 13 pitches to notch his first save since July 10. With the trade deadline in the rearview mirror, Miller should have little competition for saves the rest of the way. The 25-year-old is in the midst of a breakout season, posting a robust 2.16 ERA, 0.82 WHIP and 70:14 K:BB across 41.2 innings while going 16-for-18 in save opportunities.
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Athletics' Mason Miller: Faces hitters
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Miller (finger) threw a live bullpen session Monday, Justice delos Santos of MLB.com reports.
Miller is dealing with a fractured finger on his non-throwing hand and continued to throw bullpen sessions while he had a cast on. He played catch for the first time without the cast Saturday and has already advanced to facing batters. The standout 25-year-old becomes eligible to return Friday, though it's unclear if he'll need to miss additional time.
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Athletics' Mason Miller: Fractures non-throwing hand
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The Athletics placed Miller on the 15-day injured list Thursday with a fractured pinkie on his left hand, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.
Gallegos says Miller suffered the injury when he placed his hand down awkwardly on the training table while getting ready to do an exercise. It's not clear how long Miller might be sidelined, but it helps that the fracture is to his non-throwing hand. The injury could also lessen, if not eliminate, the possibility of Miller being dealt at the trade deadline. Lucas Erceg is the favorite to see save opportunities for the Athletics while Miller is out.
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Athletics' Mason Miller: Notches 15th save
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Miller gave up a hit and struck out two in a scoreless ninth inning Wednesday to record his 15th save of the season in a 5-2 win over the Red Sox.
The flame-throwing righty bounced back from a shaky appearance in a non-save situation his last time out. Miller hasn't been quite as dominant of late as he was to begin the season, but he's still been very effective -- since the beginning of June he's posted a 2.84 ERA, 0.79 WHIP and 17:4 K:BB through 12.2 innings while converting four of five save chances.
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Athletics' Mason Miller: Struggles in non-save scenario
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Miller allowed two earned runs on two hits and a walk over one inning in a 7-5 win over the Angels on Tuesday. He struck out two.
Miller had last seen action Friday, so manager Mark Kotsay opted to give his closer some work in what started as a low-leverage scenario. The fireballing right-hander inherited a 7-3 advantage going into the ninth inning and proceeded to retire two of the first three hitters he faced, but he subsequently allowed an RBI double and single to Nolan Schanuel and Luis Rengifo, respectively, to tighten matters up. Miller bore down and retired Taylor Ward on four pitches to put an end to the threat and the game, but not before allowing multiple earned runs for the first time since May 23. Despite the stumble, Miller has contributed a win and 14 saves to fantasy managers this season, accomplishing those marks with the help of a stellar 15.8 K/9.
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Athletics' Mason Miller: Charged with blown save
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Miller struck out one batter and walked one over 1.2 innings Friday against Minnesota. He was charged with a blown save during the loss.
Miller entered the game in the eighth inning with the bases jammed and immediately walked in the game-tying run. He then retired five straight batters before the Twins went on to win in the 10th. Miller's ERA dropped to 2.27, as he was not charged with a run, but he's now blown two of his last three save chances dating back to May 30.
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Athletics' Mason Miller: Hit with first loss
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Miller (1-1) took the loss Wednesday, giving up a solo home run in one-third of an inning as the A's fell 5-4 to the Padres.
With one out in the bottom of the ninth inning, Jackson Merrill drove the first pitch he saw from Miller down the right-field line for a walk-off homer. The Oakland closer may be wearing down -- over his last eight appearances he's served up three long balls and been scored upon four times, leading to a 5.59 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 14:6 K:BB through 9.2 innings during that stretch.
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Athletics' Mason Miller: Tagged with first blown save
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Miller was charged with a blown save in Thursday's 6-5 loss to Tampa Bay in 12 innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on one hit and three walks over two innings. He struck out four.
Jose Siri's game-tying homer in the bottom of the ninth was the first given up by Miller this year while also resulting in his first blown save in 12 chances. Despite Thursday's hiccup, it's been an excellent start to the season for the 26-year-old Miller -- his ERA now sits at 2.08 with a 0.88 WHIP and 51 strikeouts, the most among qualified relief pitchers, through 26 innings.
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Athletics' Mason Miller: Locks down 11th save
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Miller gave up a hit and a walk while striking out two in a scoreless ninth inning Tuesday to record his 11th save of the season in a 3-0 win over the Rays.
The flamethrowing righty continues to dominate. Miller has yet to blow a save in 2024, and his 52.8 percent strikeout rate is the highest in the majors among pitchers who have worked at least 20 innings. Trade rumors are swirling around him, not surprising given the state of the Oakland franchise, but Miller would likely be the best closing option for any team that acquired him. Through 24 innings this season, he sports a 1.88 ERA, 0.79 WHIP and 47:7 K:BB.
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Athletics' Mason Miller: Rings up ninth save
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Miller recorded his ninth save in Tuesday's win over the Rockies, striking out the side in a perfect ninth inning.
Miller mowed through the trio of Jordan Beck, Charlie Blackmon and Ezequiel Tovar on 16 pitches, retiring each on swinging strikes to close out the one-run win. It was Miller's first save opportunity since April 30, as well as his 15th straight scoreless appearance. The flamethrowing right-hander hasn't allowed so much as a single since April 25 as well, and his trio of strikeouts Tuesday pushed his K/9 and swinging strikeout rate figures to an astounding 18.1 and 23.7 percent, respectively, across 20.1 innings.
