SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- The San Diego Padres received good news on two fronts following their 4-3 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 3 of the NLDS on Tuesday night.
Closer Mason Miller and his wife, Jordan, welcomed their son, Lincoln, into the world, and Miller would be ready to return to the mound for Wednesday's Game 4.
“Everybody says it changes your life. It definitely does,” Miller said.
About an hour before Tuesday's game, MLB sent out an announcement that Miller had been placed on the paternity list, with Wandy Peralta taking his spot on the roster.
Jordan gave birth to their son, and Miller spoke before Wednesday's game about how proud he was of his wife and what she had gone through.
“All the aches and pains of the season, they kind of look like not a whole lot right now, after seeing what Jordan went through,” Miller said. “There is nothing better than laying there with your baby and your wife, celebrating.”
Miller was asked whether he watched Tuesday's game while awaiting the birth of his son.
“I said no. I can't. Can't do that. Adrenaline, everything was going pretty, pretty hard,” Miller said.
David Frerker-Imagn Images
Sep 26, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres relief pitcher Mason Miller (22) celebrates after defeating the Arizona Diamondbacks at Petco Park.
With everything happening around him, Miller had no idea what was unfolding at Petco Park. He didn't know who had pitched, who was available or even how the Padres had secured their victory.
It wasn't until after his son's birth that the midwife, who happens to be a huge Padres fan, updated him on the game.
“Who got the save? Morejón got the save?” Miller asked.
What Miller didn't know was that Adrian Morejón hadn't pitched because of left shoulder fatigue, according to Padres manager Craig Stammen.
“She's like, 'no, Michael King did,'” Miller said. “So I was just, ‘oh my god.’ At that point, I was not in a state to process it.”
King had thrown 72 pitches on Sunday in Game 2 before returning Tuesday night to throw another 40 pitches and record the final six outs of San Diego's victory.
King described Tuesday as his scheduled bullpen day, but instead of throwing in the bullpen, he helped keep the Padres' season alive.
“That's just tip your hat, man,” Miller said. “That's special.”
With Miller away from the team and Morejón unavailable, the Padres had to find another way to close out Game 3. It wasn't exactly how anyone envisioned the bullpen situation playing out in a must-win postseason game.
Miller was asked whether he could have imagined the Padres pulling off a victory without him or Morejón.
“I don't think this is how any of us really pictured it's going,” Miller said. “But you know that's kind of the way life is. You can't plan, make a perfect plan, and you know it usually doesn't work out that way. Just being able to be out here and play baseball today that's the big blessing.”
Stammen said Miller and Morejón would both be available for Wednesday night's Game 4, along with King.
With the Padres still facing elimination, it remains an all-hands-on-deck situation as they look to force a decisive Game 5 in Milwaukee.
But if Tuesday's victory proved anything, it's that the Padres have players willing to step into any role to keep their championship hopes alive.
“We got a bunch of bunch of animals out here that will do whatever it takes,” Miller said.