Mason Miller has carved out a reputation as one of baseball’s most overpowering relievers, and he’s not exactly daydreaming about turning that into a starter’s workload.
Asked on Foul Territory about the idea of making the jump to the rotation, the San Diego Padres flamethrower answered with a joke while talking about Milwaukee Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski.
“Maybe in some delusional land, yeah. In some delusional world, I am still starting,” Miller said.
That came with plenty of respect for Misiorowski, who won the National League Cy Young Award after a huge 2026 season.
“I think velocity is exciting. I've always said for Miz the most impressive thing is his strike-throwing ability.
The stuff is off the charts. His consistency throughout the season,” Miller said.
The admiration makes sense. Both pitchers can blow hitters away with premium velocity, but Misiorowski did it as a starter over the course of a full season. Miller, meanwhile, just put together a monster year in relief and took home NL Reliever of the Year honors.
He finished 2026 with a 1.67 ERA, 129 strikeouts in 70 innings and 38 saves, cementing himself as one of the most dangerous late-inning arms in the National League. It could be the first of several major awards for the Padres closer.
The two pitchers also found themselves on very different postseason tracks. Milwaukee knocked San Diego out of the NLDS and went on to win the World Series. The Padres were the only team to beat the Brewers in the postseason until Tampa Bay finally did it in Game 4 of the World Series.
Milwaukee looks set up to keep rolling with Misiorowski at the front of the rotation, while San Diego is reportedly planning to go all-in this offseason as it tries to close the gap on the National League’s top teams.
In Other News...
Trevor Megill Came Closer Than Brewers Fans Realize To New MLB Honor
Trevor Megill was in the mix for a new piece of leaguewide recognition that only just arrived on the awards calendar, as the Baseball Writers Association of America handed out its first Reliever of the Year honors for both leagues. Mason Miller of the Padres took the National League award, while Louis Varland of the Blue Jays won in the American League, with BBWAA members voting on regular-season performance to determine the top relief arms.
For Brewers fans, the notable part is how close Megill was to joining that conversation. The Milwaukee closer finished behind Miller in the NL race, a reminder that his season put him squarely among the leagues elite late-inning options even if the new hardware ended up elsewhere. [Read more 🡒]
Brewers Rotation Success Just Changed A Big Winter Decision
Milwaukees 2026 rotation was supposed to be one of the most inexperienced in baseball, yet it ended up driving a World Series-winning season. A group built around rookies and young arms held up far better than expected, finishing second in the National League with a 3.61 ERA and third in MLB with 907 strikeouts, and most of those pitchers are under contract for the foreseeable future.
That kind of performance changes the way a winter is supposed to look. Instead of treating the rotation as a glaring need, the Brewers can lean into continuity and shop more selectively, with a mid-tier swingman type fitting the profile better than a splashy overhaul. There is still at least one familiar name who could re-enter the conversation, but any reunion would have to make sense for both sides given the uncertainty that comes with his health. [Read more 🡒]
Jacob Misiorowski Had A Grateful Message After His Latest Brewers Milestone
Jacob Misiorowskis rise reached another level after a dominant 2026 season that put him at the center of the Brewers success. The right-hander, who finished with a 1.80 ERA and 252 strikeouts, added a World Series ring and a second All-Star selection to a year that already felt like a breakthrough, and he recently appeared on MLB Network to reflect on how far he has come.
Misiorowski used the moment to thank the people around him, pointing to the support of his family and agent as a big part of the journey. He also shared a few personal highlights from life since the season ended, a reminder that the Brewers newest star is still taking in everything that has happened even as his profile keeps climbing. [Read more 🡒]