Mason Miller, the Oakland Athletics closer, is having an outstanding 2024 season and is already making a strong case for AL Rookie of the Year honors. He has been a pleasant surprise for the Athletics. However, he faces stiff competition from other well-known candidates.
Mason Miller Making Early Bid for Rookie of the Year
Making a Case for Miller
Colton Cowser, Luis Gil, and Miller have all expressed interest in being ROY candidates. Gil, in particular, is doing exceptionally well for the New York Yankees prospects, with a sub-2.11 ERA in 55 1/3 innings pitched and 70 strikeouts. Other candidates include Wilyer Abreu of the Boston Red Sox and Evan Carter of the Texas Rangers. Miller, on the other hand, has been producing electrifying music for which he should be praised. He has struck out nearly 66% of the batters he has faced this season, which is incredible consistency.
Miller also had five saves in which he recorded at least three strikeouts and struck out every batter he faced. What’s more astounding is that when compared to Mariano Rivera, this is exactly half of the games he played over his whole career. In 2018, Edwin Díaz set a single-season record with nine such saves. It’s worth noting that in MLB history, just five closers have had more than five saves.
The final pitch in the video clip below is stunning. A broken ball shouts its way to the top zone. Miller struck out the side with a terrible pitch on May 25th against the Houston Astros, earning his tenth save of the season. A recent social media campaign centered on Miller is called “Fear the Reaper,” a reference to the 1976 Blue Oyster Cult track. Miller is also capable of throwing really hard. Back on April 22nd, he struck out Juan Soto with a 103 mph slider. He has even thrown at speeds of 105 mph.
Miller Giving Back
Miller is an intriguing pitcher to watch on the mound. Since being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, the 20-year-old has had quite the trip. He has even gone so far as to meet and converse with young diabetic baseball players. This is only the beginning for the youngster. He plans to expand his efforts by becoming more involved in active outreach in the future.
Miller has also enjoyed the opportunity to positively impact the lives of young children. He clearly merits recognition for this great gesture. He positions himself as an excellent role model for young baseball players. Miller winning Rookie of the Year would be a major accomplishment for a rookie closer who is seeking for a bigger role. With the way he’s throwing and only signing a one-year contract with the A’s, Miller has been linked to a variety of prospective destinations. Any team would be lucky to have him.
