Padres manager Craig Stammen said the availability of All-Star closer Mason Miller for the Wbc Final is to be determined after the team evaluates how he is feeling following his semifinal outing for Team USA.
Wbc Final: Stammen Leaves Decision Open
Stammen said Monday at the Padres’ spring training camp in Arizona that Miller’s status for the championship game on Tuesday is not decided. “Not ruled out, not decided, ” Stammen said. He added that the club will evaluate Miller after his outing and calculate when his next appearance should be, placing Miller “in that same boat” as other pitchers being monitored after work on the mound.
Miller’s Semifinal Work and Recent Form
Miller secured the final six outs in Team USA’s 2-1 semifinal victory over the Dominican Republic, recording the save and striking out Geraldo Perdomo to strand the tying run on third base. He has secured saves in two of Team USA’s victories in the tournament. Known for a blistering fastball and a wicked slider, the 6-foot-5 right-hander was traded from the Athletics to the Padres at last year’s deadline and has been dominant with the big league club.
In 22 appearances with the Padres, the 27-year-old posted a 0. 77 ERA with 45 strikeouts in 23. 1 innings. Reports signaled that the Padres considered transitioning Miller to a starting pitcher, but he is viewed as best suited to get the final three outs of a game.
What Analysts Say: ‘Domination And Luck’ Would Be Needed
An analyst observed that no reliever has held opponents to a sub-. 100 batting average while throwing 50 or more innings in a season, and suggested that achieving such a mark would require a mix of domination and luck on balls in play. That analyst noted Miller’s strikeout rate — an average of 15. 2 strikeouts per nine innings — as evidence that he limits balls in play, but still took the over on a sub-. 100 batting average being attainable.
With the Wbc Final looming and Miller’s semifinal performance fresh, the Padres will wait for their post-outing evaluation before confirming whether he will be available for Team USA’s championship game Tuesday. The club’s next move will hinge on how Miller feels and the calculation Stammen described for scheduling a pitcher’s next outing.
