Padres' Miller continues dominant streak, scoreless in 27 2/3 innings

Closer strikes out 16 of 21 batters faced, hits 103.4 mph on radar gun

Apr. 10, 2026 at 8:03am

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A fractured, geometric painting depicting the explosive motion of a baseball pitcher's delivery and a batter swinging, with vibrant colors representing the uniforms of the opposing teams.A Cubist-inspired illustration captures the raw power and kinetic energy of a dominant Padres closer's pitching motion and a batter's futile swing.San Diego Today

San Diego Padres closer Mason Miller has been on a historic tear to start the 2026 season, extending his scoreless streak to 27 2/3 innings after another dominant outing against the Colorado Rockies. Miller struck out all three batters he faced on just 10 pitches, including a 103.4 mph fastball that set a new Padres franchise record for the fastest pitch to record a strikeout in a regular-season game.

Why it matters

Miller has emerged as one of the most dominant closers in baseball over the past few seasons, and his historic start to the 2026 campaign has the Padres poised for a deep playoff run. His ability to overpower hitters with an electric fastball and devastating off-speed pitches has made him nearly unhittable, sparking conversations about whether he can challenge the franchise's all-time scoreless innings record.

The details

Through his first six appearances of the season, Miller has faced 21 batters and struck out 16 of them, posting a 76.2% strikeout rate that is the highest by any pitcher in their first six games since at least 1900. The only hit he has allowed came in Thursday's game, when he struck out the side in the ninth inning before Xander Bogaerts hit a walk-off grand slam in the 12th to give the Padres a 7-3 victory over the Rockies.

  • On April 10, 2026, Miller extended his scoreless streak to 27 2/3 innings.
  • Miller's 103.4 mph fastball that struck out Ezequiel Tovar was the fastest pitch ever thrown for a Padres strikeout in a regular-season game.
  • The only time a Padre has thrown a faster pitch to record a strikeout was Miller's 104.5 mph heater against Carson Kelly in last year's National League Wild Card Series.

The players

Mason Miller

A dominant closer for the San Diego Padres who has emerged as one of the best relievers in baseball over the past few seasons.

Xander Bogaerts

The Padres' star shortstop who hit a 12th-inning walk-off grand slam to give San Diego a 7-3 victory over the Rockies.

Craig Stammen

The Padres' manager who opted to limit Miller's workload despite his historic dominance, with an eye on preserving him for the long-term.

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What they’re saying

“I just feel like I have a good mix. Slider for strikes, slider for chase. Changeup's fine. It's doing its job. Fastball's good.”

— Mason Miller

“We have long-term goals, and we have long-term goals for him personally in mind. Hopefully that allows him to be available as this series goes on. … We've got to be smart with how we use him.”

— Craig Stammen, Padres Manager

What’s next

The Padres will continue to closely monitor Miller's workload as they look to keep him fresh and available for the long haul, with an eye on challenging the franchise's all-time scoreless innings record.

The takeaway

Mason Miller's historic start to the 2026 season has cemented his status as one of the most dominant closers in baseball, but the Padres will need to balance his short-term dominance with long-term preservation to maximize his impact and help the team make a deep playoff run.