Padres Reverse Course on Mason Miller Decision in Win Over Giants

On Friday, March 27, the San Diego Padres had a 2-1 lead heading into the eighth inning of a game against the Detroit Tigers.

Looking for their first win of the season, the Padres called upon right-handed pitcher Jeremiah Estrada to get through the inning.

Estrada got into immediate trouble, walking the bases loaded with just one out. He then gave up a game-tying hit before generating a big strikeout for the second out of the inning.

The Padres elected not to bring their best pitcher into the game at that moment. Instead, they called upon Wandy Peralta. He gave up back-to-back hits, and the Padres ended up losing a game they should have won by a score of 5-2.

After the game, manager Craig Stammen was asked why the team elected not to bring All-Star closer Mason Miller into the game in the eighth inning.

“It will be an option at some point in the season,” Stammen said of Miller getting more than three outs. “Just not in Game 2.”

It appeared that the Padres would be careful with Miller early in the season. Then Wednesday's game happened.

On Wednesday, the Padres entered the eighth inning with a 3-1 lead over the San Francisco Giants. With one on and two out in the inning, Miller entered the game for what would be a four-out save.

He got Heliot Ramos to pop out to end the eighth. The Padres then plated four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. With the Padres up 7-1, Miller still came out for the ninth, where he struck out the side to earn the Padres their second win of the season.

So why the sudden change in approach just five days later?

“We kind of needed a win,” Stammen said after the game. “It’s important to get a win. When we can get a win, we’ve got to get one. Having the appropriate time off after a one-plus [inning outing] is what we were looking for.”

He added: “At this point in the season, with all the off-days in April, it made a little bit more sense today."

While it's still just the first week of the season, it's clear Stammen and the Padres were playing with a bit more urgency after their 1-4 start to the year. The Padres desperately needed a win heading into the day off and road trip, and Stammen made sure they had the right guy to get it done.

Once the Padres went up 7-1, though, Stammen could have elected to replace Miller, meaning he would have just had to record one out in the eighth inning.

Jackson Merrill, however, grounded into a double play with the bases loaded, bringing an abrupt end to the inning.

“We were probably saying one more [run],” Stammen said of potentially taking Miller out of the game. “That quick double play kind of ended that discussion.”