When the Trajekt Arc arrived in major-league batting cages it promised precise simulations of almost any pitch. Even so, Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy said the machine cannot recreate what he sees from San Diego Padres closer Mason Miller. “It can’t mimic that ball just absolutely exploding out of his hand,” Muncy said after facing Miller in back-to-back games, adding that radar readings of “101” or “102” often feel like “110.”
That sensation has translated into startling results. Miller entered the season with a 1.01 ERA and was 18-for-18 in save opportunities. He posted a 49 percent strikeout rate — by far the highest among pitchers with at least 25 innings — while Milwaukee’s Jacob Misiorowski was second at 39.6 percent. Of 104 batters faced, Miller struck out 51 and allowed only 12 hits, all singles.
The string against extra-base hits has been especially stark. The last extra-base hit he permitted was a home run to Lourdes Gurriel Jr. on Aug. 5, 2025, and Miller went on to set a Padres franchise record with 34 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings. Opponents are slugging just .132 against him; by comparison, the lowest slugging percentage allowed by a pitcher with at least 50 innings in a season is .166 by Brandon Workman in 2019.
Velocity leads the way but does not tell the whole story. Miller’s average fastball velocity of 101.2 mph heads the majors, and he and Misiorowski produced 33 of the season’s 35 fastest pitches. Miller’s top pitch was a 103.8 mph four-seamer to Alek Thomas on April 25. Padres pitching coach Ruben Niebla credited the speed and a compact, tense delivery: “It’s fast,” Niebla said, “but it’s short, too,” adding that the arm “really [flies] through the zone.” Miller’s extension ranks in the top 20 percent of major-league pitchers.
Tight spin and precise tunneling further complicate hitters’ reads, making Miller’s triple-digit fastball and upper-80s slider difficult to separate. “It’s such a difference in velocity, and when you realize it’s a slider, it’s too late,” Dodgers center fielder Andy Pages said in Spanish. Niebla summed up his status plainly: “At the end of the day, it’s the greatest closer in baseball right now. There’s no doubt in my mind.”
