Padres Star Named Early-Season MVP Finalist Alongside Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani

The San Diego Padres have been able to remain competitive in the National League to open the new season, despite the struggles from the offensive and starting rotation.

One reason for this has been on the back of the strong bullpen that the front office put together, led by star closer Mason Miller.

Overall, Miller has made 23 appearances this year, throwing 23.2 innings while sporting an ERA of 0.76. The right-hander is a perfect 16-for-16 in save chances, being a true shutdown closer for San Diego.

In fact, his performance this year has led MLB insider Jon Heyman to list Miller as an early-season MVP finalist in the National League, alongside some other standout players.

Miller was named next to two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers and outfielder Jordan Walker of the St. Louis Cardinals.

"I have Mason Miller second, again, people didn't love that pick. To me, the Padres have not hit... this guy is spectacular, perfect in saves," Heyman said.

.@JonHeyman's early-season NL MVP finalists:

Shohei Ohtani
Mason Miller
Jordan Walker pic.twitter.com/9QylM26vdb
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) May 26, 2026

Miller has been one of the bigger catalysts for the Padres to stay competitive this season, and the team would be falling even more behind without his performance. The right-hander has emerged as one of the better pitchers in the game today, which is why he is in the MVP conversation.

The closer opened the season with a 34.2 scoreless inning streak that dated back to last year. The Padres have given him a heavy workload, but the right-hander has passed pretty much every test so far with flying colors.

Miller has also earned the respect of former Hall of Fame closers, with multiple talking about him being the most 'unhittable' pitcher ever. This in itself is a special honor, and Miller has continued to prove them correct in that statement.

The Padres have only had one MVP winner in franchise history, with infielder Ken Caminiti taking home the honor in 1996. Miller may have an uphill battle to climb to win the award, but the fact that he's in the conversation shows how dominant he has been this year.

The right-hander has seemed to find a home with the Padres, and he's expressed his interest in staying with the team on a long-term extension. But for now, the goal is to get this team into the postseason, and Miller will be a major part of that plan.

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