Padres' Mason Miller Gets Honest About Transitioning to Starting Pitcher

Is it worth moving Mason Miller to the rotation given his success out of the bullpen?

Oct 1, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; San Diego Padres pitcher Mason Miller (22) delivers during the seventh inning against the Chicago Cubs during game two of the Wildcard round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | Matt Marton-Imagn Images

San Diego Padres closer Mason Miller addressed one of the hottest rumors of the offseason in whether he would transition to being a starting pitcher.

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It was no secret the Padres were short on starting pitching after losing two staples of the rotation in Dylan Cease (free agency) and Yu Darvish (elbow surgery). That left the Friars with Nick Pivetta, Michael King and Joe Musgrove, two of which came with injury concerns.

Therefore, the question was brought up: Would the Padres transition Miller to a starting pitcher?

The short answer is no.

MIller gives the Padres one of the most lethal closers in all of baseball and the coaching staff is aware of that fact.

“Having the take of the pitcher himself — what he wants to do, where he feels comfortable — if there was a strong desire for him to start, we probably would have shifted and allowed him to do that,” said pitching coach Ruben Niebla. “But we also understand who we have in Mason Miller as possibly, arguably, the best closer in baseball.”

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Last season, Miller sported a microscopic 0.77 ERA across 22 relief appearances for San Diego, while adding two saves and 45 strikeouts. The Padres acquired Miller from the Athletics, the crown jewel of the relief market, at the trade deadline in July.

Miller's performance in 2025 was an appetizer of what's to come as the Padres are looking for the right-hander to anchor their bullpen. His dominance as a closer is why Miller believes its best for him to pitch in relief, rather than join the starting rotation in 2026.

“I think, just right now, it makes the most sense to stay with that success, stay where I know that I’m going to make an impact on this team," Miller said.

While his success in the bullpen is undeniable, Miller didn't completely shut the door on transitioning to starting pitching.

“I’m focused on this year, of course,” Miller said. “We’ll always have conversations, and I love how good the communication is here. I don’t feel like decisions are being made without me being a part of them. … Hopefully, touch wood, we have a lot of time together here. And who knows where it goes?”

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