SAN DIEGO – For 365 days a year, Mason Miller is focused on being a dominant closer.
Oct. 6, 2026, was different, though. He became a dad.
“Everybody says it changes your life,” Miller said. “It definitely does.”
Miller had known the entire season that the birth of his and his wife Jordan’s first child could occur during a Padres playoff run. Ideally, Miller computed, the life-changing event would happen on an off-day.
But just like the game of baseball has taught him, the biggest moments aren’t scripted.
“We've had a couple of scares where we thought it might be happening,” Miller said ahead of Game 4 of the NLDS. “Earlier in the day, we're like, ‘Yeah, maybe’ … Then as the day went on, we felt pretty good that this is going to be happening today.”
Two days after allowing a walk-off single to Jackson Chourio in Game 2 in Milwaukee, Miller was back at home getting ready to go to Petco Park for a must-win Game 3.
With their season on the line, the Padres would certainly call on him if he were available. Instead, he had to make a decisive call for the best interest of his family.
“Obviously, Game 2 [was] not what I had hoped for or planned on,” Miller said. “Going from that feeling, not really contributing a whole lot to now being a dad and being able to be there for my wife, I think it's moments like that that give you the perspective that's important, that keep you grounded and go out and try to be the best that you can every single day.”
Miller notified the Padres. They had been kept in the loop by Miller all season and had made alternative pitching plans in case of this. It was also the second time in this series that a player was going on the paternity list; Game 4 starter Walker Buehler welcomed a child last weekend.
“Everybody has a different situation, a different way of looking at it, a different expectation,” said manager Craig Stammen. “There's always health implications that go with it, and the number one thing is you want a healthy baby and you want Mom and Dad to enjoy it. I think we've been able to accomplish that with the two births we've had here in October.”
Once Miller and Jordan arrived at the hospital, he chose to leave baseball outside. So with the Padres playing an epic roller coaster battle in front of 47,708 fans, Miller focused solely on the person right in front of him.
“They asked [if I wanted to watch the game], I said, ‘No, I can’t do that,’” Miller said. “Adrenaline and everything was going pretty pretty hard.”
Jordan gave birth to their son, Lincoln, on Tuesday evening. The new parents were able to bask in the bliss of becoming a family together.
“I feel like I was pretty transparent that regardless of the situation, I really wanted to be there for the birth,” Miller said. “Everybody was super supportive of that -- teammates, coaches, front office, everybody. I'm super grateful for that, and super grateful that everything worked out in a way that I was able to be there and we won and we’re still playing baseball today.”
Only after Jordan -- whom Miller described as “amazing” -- was settled in comfortably with Lincoln did their midwife update them on the game. It turns out, their son had been born during a one-run victory so epic that it left Miller stunned.
“I was like, ‘Who got to save? [Adrian] Morejon got to save?’” Miller recounted. “She was like, ‘No, Michael King did.’ So I was just, ‘Oh my God!’ Again, at that point, I was not in a state to process it.”
Back at Petco Park, where Game 2 starter King had recorded the final six outs of Game 3, the Padres expressed their excitement and well wishes for the Millers after the win.
”I'm really happy for him, and congratulations,” said Fernando Tatis Jr. “Hopefully, everything is healthy and safe. We have his back. … Let him have his family time right now."
“I know it's a hard thing to balance,” said Ty France. “But he's doing the right thing."
The following afternoon, Miller rejoined the Padres for Game 4. He returned to a clubhouse where he is surrounded by lockermates like France, Jason Adam and Robbie Ray who can offer knowledge on fatherhood. Their biggest advice so far has been “enjoy every second and be present.”
Feeling well-rested -- considering the circumstances -- Miller was itching to take the ball again. The lights went out at Petco Park at 9:05 p.m. PT, and Miller swapped lullabies for Korn. He threw a scoreless seventh inning with two hits and one walk to keep the Padres within striking distance -- his first pitching appearance as a father.
“Sometimes you win, sometimes you don't,” Miller said. “But you get those moments to kind of re-center yourself and come back and try to be the best version of yourself.”