PITTSBURGH -- Mason Miller is currently the Majors’ most dominant closer, in the midst of a scoreless streak that dates back to last August and spans both the postseason and the World Baseball Classic.
Miller had struck out nine straight hitters entering his outing on Wednesday afternoon, then ran that streak to 11, tying the second longest streak in the expansion era (since at least 1961). Only Miller’s teammate Jeremiah Estrada has punched out more hitters consecutively (13 in 2024).
Pirates left fielder Jake Mangum snapped Miller’s streak with a groundout to finish an 8-2 Padres victory and series win at PNC Park. But Miller still ran his scoreless streak to 26 2/3 innings (not counting the playoffs and WBC). He’s closing in on Cla Meredith’s franchise record of 33 2/3 in 2006.
And yet ... as Miller took the mound on Wednesday afternoon, there was an immediate reminder that all of this almost never happened.
Etched onto the back of that mound were the letters “AHN” -- for Allegheny Health Network. When Miller was wrapping up his senior season in college at Waynesburg University -- about an hour south of Pittsburgh -- Miller had accepted a job with Allegheny Health Network.
There were no guarantees he’d ever get the chance to play professional baseball -- let alone one day be chasing records at the ballpark where he grew up watching games.
“There were a lot of different places along the way that things could have changed,” Miller said. “The stamp on the back of the mound for Allegheny Health Network. ... You look at it and just shake your head. Things could have gone so many different ways.”
Right now, Miller is the toughest pitcher to hit in the world. How could you argue otherwise? He’s faced 18 hitters this season, and he’s punched out 13, while allowing only one hit. Since he joined the Padres, Miller has punched out hitters at an absurd 60% clip -- including eight of nine in the 2025 playoffs.
But growing up in the Pittsburgh area, Miller wasn’t a megaprospect. In fact, he went undrafted out of high school, then struggled during his first two seasons at Waynesburg University. It was at that time that Miller was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes (through the Allegheny Health network, no less).
That diagnosis led Miller to seek out a diet and strength program that would allow him to better keep on weight. He had arrived on campus with his 6-foot-5 frame, but only weighed around 150 pounds.
Quickly, Miller’s fastball jumped from 87-88 mph into the high 90s. (It now routinely hits triple digits.) He posted a 1.86 ERA in his junior season. Then, in his senior season, shortly after he’d accepted that job, the COVID pandemic hit.
The job could wait. Miller was afforded an extra year of eligibility and transferred to Gardner-Webb. He was selected by the A’s in the third round of the MLB Draft -- and he quickly developed into one of the best closers in the sport before being acquired by San Diego in a Trade Deadline blockbuster in 2025.
On Wednesday, he finally made his return to the PNC Park mound. Miller had pitched there in high school. He’d also attended dozens of Pirates games there. Zach Duke once flipped him a baseball behind the dugout. Andrew McCutchen once threw him a ball between innings in the outfield. Miller and his wife went on one of their first dates to a Pirates game.
Now, he can add a new memory to the collection.
“It was everything I hoped, for sure,” Miller said. “It’s kind of hard to put into words -- just, family being here that’s never seen me pitch. It’s obviously never guaranteed that you’re going to pitch. So I’m glad that it worked out.”
Almost didn’t. The Padres scored a few too many runs in the top of the ninth inning. They entered the frame with a 4-2 lead, then tacked on four more. It was no longer a save situation.
But Miller hadn’t pitched in either of the first two games, and the rest of the Padres’ bullpen was a bit taxed. If there was any doubt in the mind of manager Craig Stammen -- he says Miller pitching at home in Pittsburgh eliminated that.
“We were weighing it there at the end,” Stammen said. “Part of it was that our bullpen needed him to pitch today. The other part was [it being] Pittsburgh. That made the decision a little easier.”
Miller made quick work of the Pirates. He threw three triple-digit fastballs to Konnor Griffin, before punching him out with a slider. Then, Miller threw three straight sliders to strike out Joey Bart. Mangum flailed at a 97 mph changeup -- seriously, a 97 mph changeup! -- and bounced harmlessly to third to end it.
It was only then that Miller took a moment to appreciate his journey back to that mound, fully basking in the moment.
“You get the last out, you look around, all the high-fives, wave to the family,” Miller said. “Soak that moment in -- for a closer, that’s the best feeling.”