Mason Miller poised to close for Padres in 2026 amid Suarez exit buzz

The San Diego Padres went all out for Mason Miller at the trade deadline to further bolster an already strong bullpen. But after an early exit in the postseason, it seems as if the flamethrowing right-hander could be taking on his old role again.

When he was first being traded to San Diego back in July, Miller served as the team’s setup man, coming in for the eighth inning before handing the ball to Robert Suarez in the ninth.

Mason Miller looks like Padres’ next closer with Robert Suarez on the brink

However, all signs point to Suarez opting out of his contract and hitting the open market. The 34-year-old’s market value sits at $16 million — twice as much as the amount he would earn if he were to opt in. If this is the case, all signs point to Miller becoming the team’s new closer.

While their postseason run was short-lived, Mason Miller showed out in his two appearances, in which all eight outs were strikeouts. It wasn’t like he was getting lucky either, as almost every at-bat was not competitive. Not too shabby for the 27-year-old’s playoff debut.

Miller threw possibly the greatest pitch of all time in Game 2 of the Wild Card Series — a 104 mph strikeout pitch on the outside corner to Carson Kelly, freezing one of the league’s best-hitting catchers. 

If Suarez does end up departing, Mike Shildt now has the perfect guy to fill the large pair of shoes left behind — one who has previous experience at the closer position.

During his rookie campaign in 2024, Miller pitched 65 innings, completing 28 save opportunities — all en route to his first-ever All Star selection. He also struck out batters 41% of the time, which was one of the best rates in the league.

In 2026, the bullpen will consist of David Morgan, Adrian Morejón, Jeremiah Estrada, Jason Adam, and Mason Miller as the anchor. It looks like another year of the Padres having one of the best bullpens in the league.