Mason Miller Lands on IL

Jason Burke | Jul 25, 2024

Jul 16, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; American League pitcher Mason Miller of the Oakland Athletics (19) pitches in the fifth inning during the 2024 MLB All-Star game at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports / Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

The Oakland Athletics have announced that All Star closer Mason Miller has been placed on the 15-day IL, retroactive to July 23 with a broken left hand. According to MLB.com's Martín Gallegos, the injury is a fractured left pinky, and it happened on Monday when "he put his hand down awkwardly on the training table while getting ready to do an exercise."

A's manager told a slightly different story pregame.

Here’s what A’s manager Mark Kotsay had to say about Mason Miller’s fractured pinky and the reporting provided by @MartinJGallegos earlier today. pic.twitter.com/bMpYeHnr7O

— Brent Maguire (@bmags94) July 25, 2024

In the clubhouse on Tuesday, Miller was seen wearing protective gear that was about the length of a half-cast (up to the middle of the forearm), but also appeared to be made of a mesh material. We noticed this addition as he was walking out for pregame warmups. We did not see what that routine consisted of on that day, or how limited he was in those warmups.

Miller, 25, is 1-1 on the season with a 2.21 ERA, a 0.84 WHIP, and 70 strikeouts across 40 2/3 innings. There has no timetable for his return at this time.

While the idea of trading the closer has been fodder for months now, ever since the A's visited New York in April, that chatter should dissolve as the Trade Deadline looms just a few days away. The A's weren't likely to move Miller anyway, but this injury should remove his name completely from any potential rumors.

Miller is tied for second in the Majors among relievers in strikeouts and his 306 pitches of 100 miles per hour or more are the most among all pitchers.  The A’s lone All-Star, Miller was the winning pitcher for the American League as he struck out two, including Shohei Ohtani, in a scoreless fifth inning in the All-Star Game.