SAN DIEGO — The Padres are facing elimination tonight, and they’ll be doing it without their most formidable reliever.
The MLB has placed San Diego’s closer, Mason Miller, on the Postseason Paternity List just before Game 3 of the National League Division Series (NLDS) against the Milwaukee Brewers at Petco Park, which means he won’t be available as the Padres fight to keep their postseason hopes alive.
Wandy Peralta, a left-handed pitcher, will be stepping in for Miller on the team’s NLDS roster. Miller needs to be away from the team for a minimum of one day and can stay away for up to three, after which he will swap back with Peralta upon his return.
Miller’s absence certainly poses a significant challenge for the Padres, who find themselves in a precarious situation after losing the first two games in Milwaukee.
He had nearly secured a six-out save on Sunday, but things took a turn for the worse. After walking three batters in the ninth inning, he ultimately allowed Jackson Chourio to hit a 101-mph fastball into center field, resulting in a two-run, walk-off single and a 4-3 victory for the Brewers. This unexpected turn of events was quite a slip for one of baseball’s most dominant relievers.
I mean, it’s shocking how quickly a game can shift, right?
Miller had an impressive regular season, finishing with a 5-2 record, a 1.67 ERA, 38 saves, and 129 strikeouts over 70 innings. Last October, he made a statement in the playoffs by striking out the first eight batters he faced, setting a record for the longest strikeout streak to kick off a postseason career, not to mention he threw the fastest pitch in postseason history at 104.5 mph.
Now, the Padres have to navigate this critical game without their ace reliever.
Nick Pivetta will take the mound for Game 3, but if San Diego finds themselves with a lead late in the game, they’ll need to rely on someone else to close it out.
