OAKLAND — The Athletics activated Mason Miller from the injured list on Wednesday morning and then promptly brought their All-Star closer back for a 3-2 win over the White Sox on Wednesday.
After the Athletics took a three-run lead in the seventh on consecutive hits by Armando Alvarez and Zach Geroff and a sacrifice fly by Lawrence Butler, Miller took to the mound in the ninth for the first time since breaking the pinky finger on his non-pitching hand on a padded training bench after pitching on July 22.
The fiery right-hander showed no signs of rust, pitching a perfect inning to strike out all three batters he faced in the series finale in Oakland, earning his 16th save of the year. Nine of Miller's 13 pitches were over 100 mph, with his blistering fastball reaching a top speed of 102.2 mph.
“He picked up where he left off,” Athletics coach Mark Kotsay said. “You never know what's going to happen in that first game. He wasn't on a rehab assignment so thoughts were running through his mind about how he was going to come back and play. I thought it was a great first game for him.”
Miller threw 8 of his 13 pitches for strikes and struck out Andrew Benintendi, Lenin Sosa and Dominic Fletcher on flyouts as he continued to lead the major leagues in pitches over 100 mph with 315.
“Nothing out of the ordinary,” Miller said when asked if he was rusty after not pitching in more than two weeks. “Obviously, I'm just getting used to it. But I felt good. The only way (to get the rust off) is to get back out there and I'm excited to be back and be a part of the team.”
The Athletics' late-inning lineup has changed a bit since Miller last pitched, when he and setup man Lucas Erceg formed a formidable high-velocity relief duo. Erceg, of course, is now part of the Royals after the A's traded him to Kansas City for three prospects at the July 30 trade deadline.
While Miller was on the injured list, the A's selected another big-time prospect, Tyler Ferguson, who spent eight seasons in the minor leagues and independent leagues, including the Canadian-American League and the American Association, before making his debut in May.
Ferguson recorded two saves during Miller's absence and has been a reliable option for Kotsey in late-game situations. Miller's return gives Ferguson a chance to settle into the setup role once held by Erceg. The 30-year-old right-hander delivered a flawless performance on Wednesday, pitching a perfect eighth inning, striking out two and holding a one-run lead.
“We traded for one of our go-to pitchers in Lukas Erceg,” Kotsay said. “The way Ferguson pitches and the way he's taken on that role as a go-to pitcher is an example of someone coming into the team who has the confidence to take on that role.”
With Wednesday's win, the Athletics have now won their fifth game in the last seven games. Their 18-12 record since the start of July is the best in the American League and third-best in the major leagues during that span, and they remain on track to reach their goal of finishing the second half of the season with a winning percentage of at least .500.
Next up on the road is a six-game stretch that starts with three games in Toronto on Friday before a three-game series against the Mets in New York. The Athletics will be buoyed by the fact that exciting closer Miller is back and looking as dominant as ever.
“I'm glad to have him back,” Geroff said. “When he's on the mound, I have nothing but confidence. Sometimes when I watch him pitch, I'm reminded that I have to be ready to catch the ball when it comes my way. I'm really glad to have him back. He's a big part of this team.”
