While most of the pitching talk leading up to the MLB All-Star Game has been centered around Pirates rookie Paul Skenes and his start in the National League, Athletics relief pitcher Mason Miller has been garnering attention in the American League.
The 25-year-old threw the fastest pitch in All-Star Game history, helping the American League win 5-3.
After Miller got Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte to fly out and struck out Shohei Ohtani, Phillies star Trea Turner came to bat. Miller threw a spectacular pitch to Turner that was the fastest in an All-Star Game since the pitch-tracking era began in 2008.
Miller struck out Turner with a full count after throwing five pitches at or above 101.9 mph, and he gave up triple-digit hits on eight of his 12 pitches in the three-out fifth inning.
We’ll give you the details on Miller’s historic pitch and more about Oakland’s closer.
Read more: MLB All-Star Game results
Mason Miller pitching velocity
Miller’s record fastball was a whopping 103.6 mph, the fastest of his eight triple-digit pitches, and although it was called a ball, it slipped past Turner.
The pitch beat the 103.4 mph fastball recorded by Aroldis Chapman when he beat Mike Moustakas in 2015. The only other player to challenge Chapman to date was Ryan Helsley, who threw a 103 mph fastball twice in 2022.
Mason Miller throws fastest #All-Star Game His top speed in the pitch tracking era (2008) was 103.6 MPH. pic.twitter.com/ro32W0c70S
— MLB (@MLB) July 17, 2024
Miller is a triple-digit velocity expert, having thrown 286 pitches over 100 mph this year, and his four-seam fastball averages 100.9 mph, the best among MLB pitchers.
Miller’s record pitch nearly matched his fastest pitch of the season, a 103.7 mph fastball he threw to Rangers guard Wyatt Langford on April 11. That pitch also came at Globe Life Field, site of this year’s All-Star Game.
Mason Miller pitching stats
Now in his second season at baseball’s highest level, Miller has already established himself as one of the league’s best closers — he was named the AL Relief Pitcher of the Month for March and April, and his performance on Tuesday against some of the league’s best pitchers only added to that credibility.
2024 pitching stats
Stats: 1-1 ERA: 2.27 Saves: 15 Innings Pitched: 39.2 Hits: 20 Runs: 13 Earned Runs: 10 Home Runs: 3 Walks: 14 Strikeouts: 70
