Athletics pitcher Mason Miller was dealing all season long finishing 2024, 2-2 ERA 2.49, with 28 saves and being named to the All-MLB second team (AP file photo)

By Barbara Mason

WEST SACRAMENTO–We watched him all season long and from that first pitch, we all knew that relief pitcher Mason Miller was something very special. Major League Baseball has rewarded that excellence by naming him to the All-MLB Second Team. He is one of just nine rookies to have won this honor since its inception.

He clocked 104 strikeouts which was second among every major league reliever and of those 104 strikeouts by a reliever this was a tie for sixth place in A’s history. Of his 1024 pitches almost half of them were 100 miles per hour or more.

The Oakland A’s had improved significantly offensively and defensively this past season and had even improved their season record by 19 games. There were a handful of players that were responsible for this encouraging sign but none more promising than the performance we saw game after game from Mason Miller.

When he took the mound it evoked fear in opposing batters and thrilled Athletic fans who gasped at the proficiency, speed and power of his pitches. His appearances on the mound were not to be missed.

It was a real shift for the young pitcher who switched from the rotation to the bullpen. Suffering from elbow concerns he was challenged making this change and it fit him like a glove. Miller missed four months in 2023 after spraining his ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow.

He adapted beautifully and became a dominant closer; a closer that struck out the best of the best in baseball. His fast ball is like no other and it always came as a surprise when a batter was able to connect. This did not happen too often as he saved 28 games.

He actually threw a 103.6 mile per hour pitch in this year’s All-Star Game. In that one inning he struck out Shohei Ohtani and Trea Turner back to back. He owned players of this caliber all season long. This guy is practically unhittable.

He won award after award last season. He was named Rookie of the Year, MLB reliever of the Month, the Dave Stewart Award and the Roberto Clemente Award. Quite a feat for a guy who came into a season in a new role, a role that he worked hard to perfect.

With all of this success, the fear is the top target that this guys is going to be as far as the dreaded “trade”. This has struck fear in the hearts of Athletic fans year in and year out. It has happened with such regularity that while it’s horribly disappointing, it is expected with this organization.

With the history that we have seen with the Athletics, the outstanding players that we have seen come and go, it seems that for the right price the trades will continue but we are holding onto the hope that next season sees Mason Miller listed on the Athletics roster.

There had been rumors in the final months of the last season of teams, high caliber teams, who were more than interested in Miller. Thankfully he was able to finish the season as a Athletic. If this team wants to build on the progress they made last season one of the first steps would be to continue to groom players like Mason Miller, Lawrence Butler, Brent Rooker, JJ Bleday, Abraham Toro, Tyler Soderstrom and Miguel Andujar and the list goes on.

Keeping this team intact would be a breath of fresh air. With the changes to start the last season the team had to learn to become a unit. It took months and there was obvious growing pains before they really got onboard. They have become a unit now and keeping them together next year would be key to a successful start to a new season. And that’s how you build a good baseball team.

Barbara Mason is an A’s beat writer at http://www.sportsradioservice.com