San Diego Padres manager Craig Stammen addressed the decision to keep closer Mason Miller in Sunday’s game despite his struggles in the ninth inning. The Padres faced the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 2 of the NLDS, with Miller, one of MLB’s top pitchers, initially managing an effective eighth inning. He faced difficulties in the ninth, however, loading the bases with two outs.

Stammen decided to keep Miller in to confront Jackson Chourio. Chourio’s single into center field scored two runs, pushing the Brewers to a 2-0 series lead as the teams head to San Diego. After the game, Stammen commented, “Going into the game, we were thinking of Mason for six outs anyway. Especially with how quick the eighth inning went for him, he was just battling the strike zone at the end.”

Miller’s performance throughout the season has been impressive, boasting a 1.67 ERA over 70 innings with 129 strikeouts. He led the NL with 38 saves out of 41 opportunities, though he had not completed a six-out save since 2024 with the Athletics.

Implications for the Padres

The loss has placed the Padres in a challenging situation, requiring three consecutive wins to progress to the NLCS. Their best pitcher, Michael King, is unlikely to play in the upcoming games as he recovers from his recent performance in Game 2.

Despite the setback, the Padres have a solid home record against the Brewers, having previously swept them in a home series during the second half of the season. If they perform at their peak, they may extend the series to five games.

To start their comeback, the Padres will rely on Nick Pivetta in Game 3, scheduled for Tuesday at 9:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. PT. The team will need to focus on each game, starting with a strong performance in Game 3.