March 16, 2026 — San Diego Padres manager Craig Stammen said Monday that a decision about All-Star closer Mason Miller’s availability for Team USA’s World Baseball Classic championship game Tuesday against Venezuela has not been made.
Miller finished off Sunday’s 2-1 semifinal win over the Dominican Republic, recording the final six outs to seal the victory. Stammen, speaking at the Padres’ spring training camp in Arizona, said Miller will be evaluated after his recent outing and that the club will base any availability decision on how he feels and on planning the timing of his next appearance.
“Not ruled out, not decided,” Stammen said. He added that the process for determining any pitcher’s next outing is routine: assess them after the outing, check how they’re feeling, then calculate the next step.
Miller has been a key piece for Team USA in the tournament, picking up saves in two of the team’s wins.
