Padres' Mason Miller Makes History With Perfectly Placed Fastball

Miller struck out Carson Kelly on a 104.5 mph fastball.

San Diego Padres reliever Mason Miller threw a 104.5 mph fastball to strike out Chicago Cubs catcher Carson Kelly. / Via ESPN

Mason Miller is bringing the heat in the MLB playoffs.

On Wednesday, during Game 2 of the Padres' wild-card series against the Chicago Cubs, Miller was incredible and made some history in the process.

Miller pitched 1 1/3 innings and struck out the first five batters he faced before hitting Michael Busch's back foot with a wayward slider. One of his strikeout victims was Cubs catcher Carson Kelly, and it was ridiculous.

After Kelly fouled off two pitches, Miller threw a 104.5 mph fastball that was perfectly placed on the low-outside corner of the strike zone. Kelly could only watch it go past as home plate umpire Cory Blaser rang him up.

Video is below.

104 MPH 🔥

Mason Miller is bringing the heat pitching on back-to-back days! #Postseason pic.twitter.com/S6TyC8G3iB

— MLB (@MLB) October 1, 2025

You can't throw a pitch any better than that.

Sarah Langs chimed in to note that the 104.5 mph fastball was the fastest pitch thrown in the postseason during the pitch tracking era, which began in 2008. It was the fourth-fastest pitch in the regular season or postseason during that time.

What makes Miller so impressive is that despite that incredible fastball, many think his slider is actually his best pitch. Through two games in the postseason, Miller has faced nine batters and struck out eight of them. He hasn't allowed a hit or a walk, just the HBP on Busch.

He's living up to the hype.

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