Padres' Mason Miller predicted to win end-of-season award only he deserves

There are plenty of interesting end-of-season awards debates set to happen between now and the end of the season. The NL MVP race between Shohei Ohtani and Pete Crow-Armstrong is very interesting, and so too is the NL Cy Young race.

While the San Diego Padres don't have anyone in contention for those categories, they should have one award all but locked in thanks to Mason Miller.

Jim Bowden of The Athletic is predicting that the Padres closer will win the NL Relief Pitcher of the Year Award. It's an award that's really only his, as even Jhoan Duran of the Philadelphia Phillies can't compare to Miller's dominance.

Mason Miller predicted to win NL Relief Pitcher of the Year award

"Miller is the most dominant reliever in baseball," Bowden writes. "He leads NL relievers in ERA (0.96 ERA) while converting 32 of 33 save opportunities with 102 strikeouts in 56 1/3 innings."

The Padres closer has a ridiculous pitch selection, with a 100+ mph fastball and a "wipeout slider" that is "nearly unhittable" in Bowden's opinion. Plus, he has a changeup to make things even more difficult for hitters.

He has posted 3.1 bWAR this season for the Padres with a 0.96 ERA, 32 saves, 102 strikeouts, a 421 ERA+ and a 0.87 WHIP in 56.1 innings pitched across 54 outings.

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Duran has 28 saves on 30 attempts, a 1.71 ERA, and is one of baseball's best closers. But Miller is in a different league.

There is no other reliever in the National League who deserves to be the Relief Pitcher of the Year in the NL. Duran is great, and Riley O'Brien leads the league in saves.

But Miller is just too good and dominant not to give him this award at the end of the season. It would take a monumental collapse from Miller and a perfect September from Duran for the Padres' closer to have any chance of losing this accolade.

Miller is the only real contender for this award, even though Duran and O'Brien have had their moments. The Padres closer should win this award without much contest, barring a stunning regression.

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