OAKLAND — It’s not so much the three digits on the radar gun that are impressive as the fact that it looks so effortless for Mason Miller.
If Miller played for any other team than the Oakland-turned-Sacramento-someday Las Vegas Athletics, he’d be all over SportsCenter. As it is, Miller’s high-velocity conversion from promising starter to closer is starting to gain momentum as a league-wide story.
The Athletics completed a six-game road trip in Detroit and Texas winning both series and Miller getting his first two saves with his four-seam fastball and wipeout slider. In a 1-0 win over the Rangers Wednesday, Miller threw nine consecutive pitches at 100 miles per hour or better, topping out at an obscene 104. Five pitches were 102 or better.
What’s it like to throw that hard?
“It’s pretty cool for sure,” Miller said Friday before the A’s began a three-game series against the Washington Nationals at the Coliseum. “I mean, the fastball for me, just try not to do too much with it. The ones I try to get on and throw harder, they end up not getting as high as they were the other day. The ball is exploding right now, so it’s great.”
Miller’s two saves were only part of a road trip that included a three-home run game by catcher Shea Langeliers, a game Wednesday where left-hander J.P. Sears took a no-hitter into the seventh and four straight errorless games after committing an egregious 13 on the first homestand.
Miller closed out the third Detroit game in a 4-0 non-save situation and saved both wins against Texas.
Mason Miller threw the four fastest pitches in the Majors this season en route to a save for the @Athletics
The rookie dialed it up as high as 103.7 mph and hit 101+ on all nine of his heaters: pic.twitter.com/ltipOL7zGl
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) April 11, 2024
On the flight home, the A’s felt about as good as a 5-8 team can feel.
“It was great. We didn’t get to do that much last year, come home with a winning road trip,” Miller said. “Coming in to Detroit against a good team that was playing well, beat them, then win two of three from the defending champs, I don’t think we could ask for much more.”
Miller opened eyes as a rookie starter, throwing seven no-hit innings in his third start against Seattle, but had his season cut short with UCL sprain that did not require surgery. He didn’t pitch from May 7 to Sept. 6, with the A’s taking care to make sure he got healthy. At the end of the season, the A’s suggested the bullpen and Miller was all for it.
“Just being able to put a wrap on the game that everybody has worked so hard to get us to that point, getting that `W’ is big,” Miller said. “I came in to spring training knowing the plan. I think we’ve all been on the same page for awhile.”
In his new role, Miller doesn’t have to pace himself. He’s throwing four-seam fastballs and a slider so wicked it made Texas second baseman Marcus Semien — one of the most professional hitters in the business — look lost on a three-pitch strikeout.
“It’s hard to throw that hard for a full game,” Sears said. “Dialing down his work load was good for him and he’s a real mature pitcher. People see he throws 100, what they don’t see is he knows how to pitch.”
Langeliers, who caught the ninth inning Wednesday, was asked what it’s like to catch a 104 mph fastball.
“Not a lot of time to react,” Langeliers said. “Hopefully he throws it close to my glove. But it’s a lot of fun when Miller is doing what he’s doing now.”
A’s manager Mark Kotsay took notice of how Miller handled his business while on the injured list and a couple of rough outings upon his return.
“We saw the demeanor in him last season and he stayed level-headed and kept a good frame of mind,” Kotsay said. “It bothers everyone when they don’t have success, but you could tell he was going to work through it and get better. We saw a mentality about him, a level of confidence. Those markers have been checked and he’s gone out there and it’s a blessing he’s gone out there and had success.”
Miller, 6-foot-5 and 200 pounds, is a Type 1 diabetic and is acquaintances with Giants right-hander Jordan Hicks, who is also diabetic and is going from reliever to starter this season. While Hicks has a two-seam fastball (or sinker) in the mix, Miller plans on keeping it simple. He’ll stick with his fastball and slider and isn’t sure whether being a starter will be back in the mix any time soon.
“I think it’s whatever the team needs me to do,” Miller said. “Right now we’re not worried about the years ahead. We’re just worried about getting me through this year and excelling in the role I’m in.”
Miller promises he’s not obsessing over the radar gun on the mound. He said he rarely sees it, choosing to wait until teammates pass along how he’s exceeding the speed limit.
“Time to time, maybe. I think everybody is guilty of that,” Miller said. “I try not to let that dictate how I’m throwing. I’m more worried about where I’m putting the ball and the kind of swings I’m getting in the box.”
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Esteury Ruiz, the mercurial outfielder who stole 67 bases as a rookie last season and was demoted after going 3-for-7 to start the season, has a .344/.462/.594 slash line in Triple-A Las Vegas with two homers, two doubles, four RBIs five walks and six steals in eight games.
His swing, pitch selection and patience are apparently still works in progress.
“I’ve watched just about every at-bat,” Kotsay said. “There’s still some work on the swing, the direction. It’s not consistent. He’s having some success there though. He’s getting to play every day.”