Oakland Athletics relief pitcher Mason Miller #19 throws against the Colorado Rockies in the eleventh inning of their MLB game at the Coliseum in Oakland, Calif., on Thursday, May 23, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
OAKLAND – Mason Miller is bringing his 100-mph-plus fastball to baseball’s All-Star Game, doing so as the Athletics’ lone representative – and perhaps their last as an Oakland-based ballclub.
“I’m super excited. It’s what every player works for,” Miller said Sunday, as the A’s closed their homestand against the Baltimore Orioles. “To have the success I’ve had in a new role this year, and to be able to represent our guys, it’s really an honor.”
Miller’s conversion to a fireball-throwing closer has highlighted the A’s up-and-down-and-out season, designated as their last at the Coliseum before a three-year layover in Sacramento and planned relocation to Las Vegas.
“Regardless of everything else that surrounds the team, we’re still big-leaguers,” Miller added. “We still are putting in the work and effort every day to make ourselves the most competitive team we can be.”
Miller’s velocity and excellence for a 34-57 team make him an alluring attraction for the July 16 Midsummer Classic in Arlington, Texas. He entered Sunday’s All-Star selection with a majors-leading 278 pitches of 100-mph or greater; no one else has more than 176 such pitches. His 14 saves lead big-league rookies, and they’re 12 shy of the A’s rookie record set by Andrew Bailey, who was their last rookie All-Star (2019).
Miller thus joins 68 other players who’ve represented the A’s since their 1968 move to Oakland from Kansas City. Actually, he won’t be alone in an Athletics uniform. A’s manager Mark Kotsay will serve as a coach on American League manager Bruce Bochy’s staff.
Miller hopes an injury-replacement spot could open up for red-hot slugger Brent Rooker, last year’s A’s All-Star who leads them with 18 home runs this season. “He’s a guy you want to have that honor as well, because he’s certainly earned it,” Miller said. (Houston’s Yordan Alvarez is the American League’s starter at designated hitter, and he left Saturday’s game after being hit on the knee; Baltimore’s Ryan O’Hearn is the backup, and he scored Sunday amid the Orioles’ pair of first-inning home runs.)
Although the initial All-Star rosters were revealed on ESPN during Sunday’s game, Miller got the word pregame from Kotsay. At the same time, the greatest closers in A’s history, Dennis Eckersley and Rollie Fingers, were at the Coliseum signing autographs; Fingers later threw out the ceremonial first pitch to Eckersley.
How Miller followed in their starter-to-closer footsteps was a “really surreal” journey. In 10 games last year, he went 0-3 with a 3.78 ERA. Miller liked what he heard from Kotsay about switching to the closer role this year.
“Talking to Kots about it, understanding the thought process, it was pretty easy to get on board with it,” Miller said. “Then it was about making the physical adjustments and the day-in, day-out wear of a bullpen, as opposed to every fifth day (as a starter).”
“I see him being around a while, if he can stay healthy,” Fingers said of Miller on NBC Sports Bay Area’s pregame show. “He does throw hard. He has nasty stuff. I don’t think I’d want to face him. He’s going to be around a while as a closer. He has the type of arm he can throw two or three ballgames in a row.”
Miller, who turns 26 on Aug. 24, surely could be sought in a trade for another team’s bullpen. For now, he’s priding himself on fulfilling the A’s needs, like he did on the New York Yankees’ off-Broadway stage, where he struck out Anthony Volpe, Juan Soto and Aaron Judge in a 1-2-3 ninth for an April 22 save.
“To do that against the top of the order was really awesome for me, as still a young, bullpen, closer-type guy, to have that moment to take confidence from,” Miller recalled.
Shortly after the A’s drafted him in the 2021 third round, Miller first saw his fastball clock 100 mph three years ago at the Athletics’ Arizona complex. “At Gardner-Webb (University), we said that I did (hit 100 mph), but I didn’t get to see it myself,” noted Miller.
Miller transferred there after four years at Waynesburg University in his native Pennsylvania. During those early college years, Miller learned he had Type I diabeties.
“It feels like a lifetime ago, honestly,” Miller said. “Taking the time in moments like this to reflect on where I’ve been and all the steps along the journey, it’s really surreal. It feels great to look at the work I’ve done, and to sit here and have that recognition now, it’s awesome.”
Here are other historical factoids about Oakland’s All-Star history:
— Mark McGwire’s nine All-Star selections are the most in Oakland history, followed by Reggie Jackson (six), Ricky Henderson (six), Bert Campaneris (five), and Jose Canseco (five). Jackson started a franchise-best five All-Star games.
— Kotsay, in his third season, is the first A’s manager to serve as an an All-Star coach since Bob Melvin (2012). “I’m excited,” said Kotsay, who never made the All-Star Game in his 1997-2013 playing days. “I’m looking forward to just being around Boch and being with him to celebrate that opportunity and do whatever he needs me to do for him.” Added Miller: “Kots is awesome. He’s the leader that we need and all the guys really love him.”
— Four Oakland managers have helmed the American League squad: Dick Williams (1973), Alvin Dark (1975), Billy Martin (1982), and Tony LaRussa (1989-91).
— Third baseman Josh Donaldson (2014) and first baseman Jason Giambi (2000) were Oakland’s last position players (non-pitcher) to start All-Star games.
— The Athletics’ last All-Star outfielder was Yoenis Céspedes 10 years ago.
— Catcher Terry Steinbach (1988) is Oakland’s only All-Star Game MVP (1988).
— The last Oakland player to make back-to-back All-Star games: catcher Stephen Vogt (2015-16)
— The Coliseum hosted only one All-Star Game, in 1987. Scoreless through 12 innings, the A’s own Jay Howell surrendered three hits in the 13th inning, including a 2-out, 2-run triple to MVP Tim Raines.
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Oakland’s All-Stars by position:
Pitchers (35)
Mason Miller 2024
Paul Blackburn 2022
Chris Bassitt 2021
Liam Hendricks 2019
Blake Treinen 2018
Sonny Gray 2015
Sean Doolittle 2014
Scott Kazmir 2014
Jeff Samardzija 2014
Grant Balfour 2013
Bartolo Colon 2013
Ryan Cook 2012
Gio Gonzalez 2011
Andrew Bailey 2009, 2010
Trevor Cahill 2010
Justin Duchscherer 2005, 2008
Dan Haren 2007
Barry Zito 2002, 2003, 2006
Mark Mulder 2003, 2004
Tim Hudson 2000, 2004
Keith Foulke 2003
Jason Isrignhausen 2000
Steve Ontiveros 1995
Dennis Eckersley 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992
Bob Welch 1990
Mike Moore 1989
Dave Stewart 1989
Jay Howell 1985, 1987
Bill Caudill 1984
Mike Norris 1981
Matt Keough 1978
Vida Blue 1971, ’75, ’77
Rollie Fingers 1973, ’74, ’75, ’76
Jim Hunter 1970, ’72, ’73, ’74
Ken Holtzman 1972, ’73
John Odum 1968, ’69
First base (6)
Matt Olson 2021
Yonder Alonso 2017
Brandon Moss 2014
Jason Giambi 2000, 2001
John Jaha 1999
Mark McGwire 1987, ’88, ’89, ’90, ’91, ’92, ’95, ’96, ’97
Second base (2)
Jed Lowrie 2018
Phil Garner 1976
Third base (5)
Matt Chapman 2019
Josh Donaldson 2014
Carney Lansford 1988
Wayne Gross 1977
Sal Bando 1969, ’72, ’73, ’74
Shortstop (2)
Miguel Tejada 2002
Bert Campaneris 1968, ’72, ’73, ’74, ’75
Outfield (12)
Yoenis Céspedes 2014
Ben Grieve 1998
Ruben Sierra 1994
Jose Canseco 1986, ’88, ’89, ’90, ’92
Harold Baines 1991
Dave Henderson 1991
Ricky Henderson 1980, ’82, ’83, ’84, ’90, ’91
Tony Armas 1981
Reggie Jackson 1969, ’71, ’72, ’73, ’74, ’75
Joe Rudi 1972, ’74, ’75
Claudell Washington 1975
Rick Monday 68
Catcher (7)
Stephen Vogt 2015, ’16
Derek Norris 2014
Ramon Hernandez 2003
Terry Steinbach 1988, ’89, ’93
Jeff Newman 1979
Gene Tenace 1975
Dave Duncan 1971
Originally published at Cam Inman