'Disappointing' – Mason Miller Breaks Silence On Not Being Used For WBC Final

Mason Miller was arguably the best performer for Team USA at the 2026 World Baseball Classic. Yet he did not take the mound in the championship game, which they lost 3-2 to Venezuela. Manager Mark DeRosa later explained his decision not to bring on the right-hander. DeRosa had to honor his agreement with the Padres not to use Miller unless there was a save situation.

After returning to the San Diego Padres spring training camp, Mason Miller expressed his disappointment at not getting a chance to pitch in the 2026 WBC final. Nevertheless, he knew that was likely to be the case heading into the game. Miller is glad that at least he was available for the team if needed, which was not the case at the start of the tournament.

“I wasn’t expecting to be permitted to, honestly,” Mason Miller told 97.3 The Fan. “I was grateful to be available with those limitations. Ultimately, we didn’t get the chance to throw. So, it’s a little disappointing. But at the same time, we understood the kind of constraints going into it. So, it wasn’t a surprise, certainly.”