Athletics' Mason Miller Unlikely to Move to Rotation After Breakout Rookie Season

Mason Miller, coming off an All-Star campaign as the Oakland Athletics' closer, is reportedly not a candidate to get moved into the team's starting rotation.

Aug 28, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Oakland Athletics relief pitcher Mason Miller (19) reacts after the victory over the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. / Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

The Athletics are lacking starting pitchers, but they apparently won't be poaching the best of their own bullpen arms to fill the void.

Mason Miller was a starter all through college and the minors, as well as his first taste of big league action in 2023. However, the Athletics made him a reliever heading into 2024 due to concerns about his elbow.

That decision paid off big time, as Miller went 2-2 with a 2.49 ERA, 0.877 WHIP, 14.4 strikeouts per nine innings, 28 saves and a 2.4 WAR this season. He is one of the top contenders to win AL Rookie of the Year, having already been given the associated honor by The Sporting News.

As reported by the San Francisco Chronicle's John Shea, general manager David Forst is not planning on moving the 26-year-old back into the rotation at the moment.

"We’re not talking about moving him back into a starting role," Forst told Shea at the MLB General Manager Meetings in San Antonio this week.

When the A's initially moved Miller to the bullpen last winter, it was not seen as a permanent move. The front office wanted to see the young righty get through a full season healthy before considering making him a starter again.

Miller very nearly achieved that feat in 2024, but hit the injured list with a fractured pinky in July. While his elbow and shoulder both held up, he still only tossed 65.0 innings.

The Athletics currently have JP Sears, Joey Estes and Mitch Spence leading their rotation. Hogan Harris and Osvaldo Bido are the top internal contenders to round out the five-man group, but neither of them broke 75.0 innings this season either.

Miller is still on a pre-arbitration deal for next season, so the A's have a long runway with with flamethrowing righty. Even if they find different stopgaps to complete their rotation in 2025, the nomadic franchise could make Miller a starter again if his stuff lends well to that role in the near future.

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