Padres’ Mason Miller Achieves Feat Rarer Than a No-Hitter

On Wednesday night, the San Diego Padres watched reliever Mason Miller make history, even as they fell 7-5 to the Baltimore Orioles. Miller delivered an immaculate inning—three strikeouts on nine pitches—putting himself among baseball’s elite.

The Padres didn’t get the win, but Miller’s rare feat left a lasting mark on the franchise’s record books. His name now sits alongside some of the sport’s best in one of baseball’s rarest achievements.

Mason Miller’s Perfect Inning of Precision

The immaculate inning is about as rare as it gets in baseball. It takes total command and nerves of steel to pull off.

Miller struck out Jeremiah Jackson, Ryan Mountcastle, and Emmanuel Rivera—each on just three pitches. His fastball looked untouchable, and his control was spot-on.

Honestly, it’s no wonder the Padres went after him so hard at the trade deadline last month. Nights like this are exactly why.

Joining a Select Group in Padres History

With this performance, Miller became only the second pitcher in Padres history to throw an immaculate inning. Brian Lawrence was the first, way back in 2002—also against the Orioles, oddly enough.

The coincidence ties the two pitchers together in a pretty unique chapter for the Padres.

The Rarity of an Immaculate Inning

Miller’s inning was the 117th immaculate inning in MLB history. He’s now the 108th different pitcher to pull it off.

Even with thousands of games every year, this doesn’t happen often. Only a handful—guys like Sandy Koufax, Chris Sale, and Max Scherzer—have managed it three times in their careers.

The Mental and Physical Demand

Throwing an immaculate inning isn’t just about pure power. It’s about perfect precision when the pressure’s on.

Every single pitch needs to be in the zone but still tough enough that hitters can’t make contact. Miller’s fastball and sharp breaking stuff kept all three hitters completely off balance.

The Padres’ Bigger Picture

Even with Miller’s heroics, the Padres couldn’t avoid a 7-5 loss. They’re now 76-64 on the season.

That puts them three games behind the Dodgers in the NL West, so every game from here has serious playoff weight.

A Trade Deadline Prize

Miller joining San Diego was one of the biggest stories at the trade deadline. He’s already shown he can overpower just about anyone, even if the team’s record hasn’t totally caught up yet.

Honestly, that immaculate inning feels like a preview of the kind of clutch moments he might deliver the rest of the way.

Why Miller’s Feat Resonates

For baseball fans who love the details, an immaculate inning is the sport at its most pure and dominant. There’s no defense, no luck—just pitcher versus hitter, and the pitcher wins, every time.

In a game where everything gets analyzed—pitch counts, bullpen use, velocity—Miller’s nine-pitch gem stands out as both efficient and electrifying. It’s the kind of moment people remember, even if the box score says the Padres lost.

Final Thoughts

Mason Miller’s new to the Padres, but nights like this already carve his name into team lore.
In the thick of an NL West playoff race, his immaculate inning does more than just boost stats—it sparks energy in the dugout and in the stands.

• Miller’s now the 108th pitcher to throw an immaculate inning in MLB history.
• He’s only the second Padre to ever do it, after Brian Lawrence back in 2002.
• He struck out Jackson, Mountcastle, and Rivera—nine pitches, nine strikes, blink and you missed it.
• He joined the team just a month ago, arriving as a headline trade deadline pickup.

Baseball writes its stories pitch by pitch, and Miller only needed nine to make his mark.
If you’re a Padres fan, you’re probably hoping this is just the start of something big—maybe even a run that actually goes deep into October.

 
Here is the source article for this story: Padres’ Mason Miller put together a feat rarer than a no-hitter