Mason Miller News: Remaining in bullpen

Padres manager Craig Stammen said Monday that Miller will remain in the bullpen next season, Alden Gonzalez of ESPN.com reports.

The Padres mulled the idea of shifting Miller to their rotation, but Stammen noted Monday that that move would have been "a risky proposition health-wise and performance-wise." With confirmation that he'll stay in the bullpen, Miller should open 2026 as the Padres' closer and has a strong case to be the first reliever to be taken in fantasy drafts. The 27-year-old boasts a 2.56 ERA and 43.1 percent strikeout rate over the last two regular seasons, notching 28 saves over that time.