San Diego Padres closer Mason Miller rejoined the team for Wednesday’s National League Division Series Game 4 at Petco Park after a paternity leave that coincided with the birth of his son, Lincoln, as the Padres face elimination against the Milwaukee Brewers.
The Padres welcomed back their All-Star reliever ahead of Wednesday night’s crucial postseason contest following the birth of his first child on Tuesday night. Miller missed Tuesday’s Game 3 while on the postseason paternity list as San Diego secured a 4-3 victory to trim Milwaukee’s lead in the best-of-five series to 2-1.
Midwife Delivers Postseason Score
While attending to his wife, Jordan, during Game 3, Miller received updates on the Padres’ tight contest through an unexpected source. The medical professional assisting the delivery happened to be an avid fan of the club.
I think right just as we got everyone settled, got Jordan in bed with the baby, they said the Padres won,
Mason Miller said according to the Associated Press.
Miller joked that his immediate reaction upon hearing the final out was to ask who got the save.
Bullpen Rotation and Health Questions for Game 4
Miller returns to a bullpen that relied heavily on four relievers to throw 4 2/3 innings of one-run relief behind starter Nick Pivetta in Game 3. Michael King stepped up on one day of rest to pitch the final two innings and secure his first save since 2023, joining rare postseason company by earning a multi-inning save shortly after starting a playoff game.
Manager Craig Stammen indicated that King remains available again if needed, despite throwing 14 innings across the Padres’ first five playoff games. Meanwhile, the club evaluated setup man Adrián Morejón, who missed Game 3 due to tightness and discomfort in his pitching shoulder. Stammen reported that Morejón felt better after Tuesday’s contest, leaving the team hopeful for his return to the mound.
Postseason Stakes at Petco Park
The Padres turn to Walker Buehler to start Game 4. San Diego enters the matchup looking to build on an energetic home atmosphere that saw 47,708 fans pack Petco Park on Tuesday for the third-largest attendance in the stadium’s history.
Miller looks to rebound from a tough outing in Game 2 in Milwaukee, where he surrendered a two-out, two-strike, two-run single to Jackson Chourio that sealed a 4-3 Brewers win. Over the regular season, the right-hander anchored the Padres’ bullpen with 38 saves in 41 opportunities, a 0.90 WHIP, and 129 strikeouts across 70 innings.
The club confirmed that the two-time World Series champion Walker Buehler held a career 3.04 ERA across 19 postseason appearances, having secured the final out in the championship-clinching victory for the Dodgers against the Yankees in 2024. Stammen also noted that the bullpen uncertainty heading into the elimination game involves Bradgley Rodríguez, Yuki Matsui, and Jason Adam, all of whom saw action during the hard-fought victory on Tuesday night.