A's Mason Miller: Starter or reliever in 2025?

Jason Burke | Oct 12, 2024

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. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images / Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

"We would not have won nearly as many games as we did without Mason." That is what A's GM David Forst said during the end-of-season media call last week, which is true. Miller closed out 28 saves, held a 2.48 ERA with a 0.88 WHIP and struck out 104 batters in just 64 innings. It was a dominant first full season in the big leagues.

Yet, the goal with Miller was to get him through the season healthy, which the A's did, outside of the fluke injury that cost him a couple of weeks in July. Miller was a starting pitcher before this season, so could the A's consider attempting to move him back into the rotation and get even more value from him there?

In a word: no.

That does not appear to be in the cards, at least for 2025. Forst also said in the media call, "I'm thrilled with how he did, and excited to have him in that role going forward," which more or less answered that question.

We also spoke with Miller as the end of the season approached, and he said that he always kind of knew that once he made the transition to the bullpen that it would be pretty tough to make it back into the rotation. If he pitched well, then they'd want to keep him there, and if he pitched poorly, why would they get him a look in the rotation? The math just didn't math.

Another tidbit of that equation, at least for 2025, is that he threw just 65 innings, which is well below the innings he'd need to throw as a starter. If he could push up to 100 innings, then he could make about 20 five-inning starts, which is about two-thirds of the season.

In September he was getting ready to come into a third straight game back in Houston, after pitching on September 10 and 11, and said he was warming up for a third consecutive appearance, given that he had thrown four and nine pitches in the previous two games. If they were going to try for a third consecutive day, that would be the time to do it. Unfortunately, the Astros scored four runs in the eighth and Miller's services were no longer needed.

The plan is to use Mason Miller, an All Star closer, in the bullpen in 2025 and presumably beyond.