Facing a zero-two deficit and postseason elimination against the Milwaukee Brewers, the San Diego Padres played a pivotal National League Division Series contest without All-Star closer Mason Miller. Major League Baseball approved the roster move on Tuesday afternoon after Miller’s wife went into labor, placing the right-hander on the postseason paternity list roughly forty minutes before the scheduled first pitch at Petco Park according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.
San Diego Padres Place All-Star Closer Mason Miller on Postseason Paternity List Ahead of NLDS Game 3
The abrupt departure removed the anchor of San Diego’s bullpen immediately before a must-win situation. Under Major League Baseball’s postseason paternity rules, a player must spend a minimum of one day and a maximum of three days away from the club. The timing meant Miller was unavailable for Tuesday’s matchup as the Padres fought to keep their season alive.
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Miller Led National League in Saves Before Game 2
The absence of the hard-throwing reliever left a significant void in the late innings. During the regular season, Miller established himself as one of the most dominant late-inning arms in the sport, tying for the National League lead with 38 saves while posting a sparkling 1.67 earned run average across 66 outings. He also recorded a towering 47.4% strikeout rate, fanning nearly half of the opposing batters he faced.
However, the roster move arrived just two days after a difficult outing in Milwaukee during Game 2 of the NLDS at American Family Field. Tasked with protecting a 3-2 lead in the ninth inning, Miller struggled with command, walking three of the first five batters he faced. Milwaukee’s Jackson Chourio capitalized by lacing a two-run, walk-off single to center field, sealing a 4-3 victory for the Brewers and pushing San Diego to the brink of elimination.
Speaking previously on Sunday morning, Miller had confirmed he intended to attend the birth of his first child, noting that the baby was originally not due for another two weeks and expressing hope the timing would coincide with games in San Diego to minimize missed action. He became the second Padres pitcher to utilize the paternity list during the series, following starting pitcher Walker Buehler, whose wife gave birth to a son over the weekend prior to Game 1.
Roster Adjustments and Extended Series Outlook
To offset the loss, the Padres activated veteran left-handed reliever Wandy Peralta to the active roster. Peralta appeared in 65 games during the regular season, finishing with a 3-3 record and a 3.61 ERA over 77 1/3 innings.
With Miller sidelined, manager Craig Stammen evaluated several internal options for high-pressure and save scenarios, with Adrian Morejón emerging as the primary candidate alongside bullpen arms like Jason Adam and Bradgley Rodriguez.
The Padres won Tuesday's contest without their closer, defeating the Brewers 4-3 at Petco Park to secure their first win of the series and force a Game 4 on Wednesday in San Diego. Because of the three-day maximum absence permitted under postseason paternity guidelines, Miller remains eligible to return to the active roster for Wednesday’s contest, at which point he will directly replace Peralta. Whether the newly minted father will be ready to step back onto the mound immediately upon his return remains to be determined.
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