ARLINGTON — A’s rookie closer Mason Miller lived up to the hype, as he produced the hardest thrown pitch in All-Star Game history (since pitch-tracking began in 2008) while earning the victory in his Midsummer Classic debut on Tuesday night at Globe Life Field as the AL beat the NL, 5-3.
Miller set an All-Star Game record with the 103.6 mph heater he unleashed while facing Trea Turner. The pitch, which missed low, was one of eight triple-digit fastballs the A’s flamethrower threw during a perfect 12-pitch inning. He concluded his dominant appearance with consecutive strikeouts of Shohei Ohtani and Turner.
Per Elias, Miller is the third rookie pitcher to earn the win in an All-Star Game, joining Spec Shea in 1947 and Dean Stone in 1954, both for the AL.
“The hitters that we face every day throughout the year, there are a lot of talented guys, but to do it on the stage in front of this crowd against these talented players is something I’ll have forever,” Miller said. “I think every single hitter over there’s super talented, so whoever you match up against, it’s gonna be a battle. I ended up getting the top of the order and I was excited to get that matchup.”
Aroldis Chapman had previously held the record with a 103.4 mph fastball the left-hander threw to Mike Moustakas in the ninth inning of the 2015 All-Star Game. Chapman has tallied four pitches 103 mph or faster in the Midsummer Classic. On Tuesday, Miller hit this mark twice, matching Ryan Helsley’s total from the 2022 All-Star Game. No other All-Star has thrown a pitch this hard on record.
Miller said he knew what Chapman’s record was after some of the pitchers talked about it before the game. They told the 25-year-old that he had to shoot for it, at the very least.
And the rookie was up to the challenge. Miller’s fastballs registered: 103.6, 103, 102.4, 102.3, 101.9, 101.8, 101 and 100.6 mph.
“Mission accomplished,” he said with a laugh. “It was a loose goal, yeah. I thought it would be cool.”
“There were a couple of pitches where I was like, ‘That’s coming in pretty firm,’” said Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman. “It definitely comes out of his hand a little different. Always fun catching new guys you’ve never caught before.”
Miller has posted a 2.27 ERA while striking out 46.7 percent of the batters he has faced this year. His four-seam fastball has averaged an MLB-best 100.9 mph. The Twins’ Jhoan Duran (100.4 mph) and the D-backs’ Justin Martinez (100.1 mph) are the only other pitchers (min. 300 pitches) who have a triple-digit fastball average.
With a fastball as dynamic as that, what can a hitter even do?
Miller was just one in a line of American League pitchers who shut down their NL counterparts in the AL’s 10th victory in the last 11 Midsummer Classics. Following scoreless innings from Baltimore’s Corbin Burnes in the first (as the AL’s starter) and Detroit’s Tarik Skubal in the second, Boston’s Tanner Houck surrendered a three-run homer to Ohtani in the third inning.
The AL pitching staff combined for nine strikeouts, eight of which came between the group that succeeded Houck.
“We had to follow up Mason Miller throwing 104 or whatever it was,” Yates joked. “But yeah, Clase is pretty good behind me and then you roll out Lugo and Ragans. They’re pretty good starters, too. It’s an All-Star Game, you’re in awe of everybody that goes in. It’s really neat to be part of it.”
Clase, the Guardians’ closer, earned his second career All-Star save (after doing the same in 2022).
He joins Mel Harder (1935, 1937) as the only two Cleveland pitchers to record multiple saves in the All-Star Game, and is the fifth pitcher in All-Star Game history with at least two career saves — joining Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera (four saves); Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley (three); Harder (two saves); and Hall of Famer Bruce Sutter (two).
“I feel really, really proud that the manager gave me that confidence, because this is something really important for me in my career, and I know how important this game is,” Clase said. “So it’s really important for me to remain positive and find a way to help this team. Again, very thankful for the opportunity from the manager to put me in that position.”