Athletics closer Mason Miller gets Yankees' attention with 102-mph heat in impressive save

NEW YORK – Juan Soto slammed his bat in frustration, having missed a chance to extend a late Yankees rally on a chilly Thursday night.

But these were no ordinary fastballs that Soto missed, as he represented the tying run in the ninth.

Soto swung through pitches clocked at 101-mph and 102-mph by Oakland Athletics’ closer Mason Miller, elevating that last pitch and sending Soto back to the Yankees dugout.

“Obviously a pretty special fastball, and he’s got a feel for the slider,’’ said Yankees manager Aaron Boone, after Miller used that slider to get Aaron Judge on a game-ending fly out.

Failing to capitalize on several early scoring chances, the Yankees were doomed to face Miller, whose four-out save – with three strikeouts – sealed Oakland’s 3-1 win at Yankee Stadium.

After leaving 11 men on base, the Yankees (17-9) settled on a four-game series split with Oakland (10-16), then hopped a plane for Milwaukee to face the NL Central-leading Brewers this weekend.

The trip concludes with a four-game series at Baltimore against the Orioles, who share the top spot in the AL East with Boone’s club.

Athletics closer Mason Miller overwhelms Yankees

Miller, 25, has thrown nine of the fastest pitches in the majors this year, the best at 103.7 mph, and yeah, he might have felt a jolt of adrenaline in the ninth.

Anthony Volpe reached on a one-out infield single and the noise level from 40,141 fans rose in anticipation as Soto strolled to the plate.

“It got a little loud so the adrenaline started pumping a little bit, but I quickly quieted it down with a strikeout,’’ said Miller, who dispatched Soto on three pitches.

Watching Miller beat Soto with that seemingly rising fastball, “it’s 100-plus miles per hour and it looks like that up close,’’ said Boone. “Looks like they have a good one at the back end.’’

Miller saved both of Oakland’s wins this series, and he had a chance Thursday because the Yankees kept messing up chances against lefty starter Alex Wood.

After loading the bases in the first inning, Wood fell behind Giancarlo Stanton 2-and-0 before striking him out and getting Anthony Rizzo to tap into a double play.

In the second inning, Gleyber Torres wandered off first base and got himself picked off ahead of a Jose Trevino homer off the right field foul pole.

The Yanks loaded the bases again with one out in the fourth, but Trevino rapped into a double play.

Meanwhile, for the second straight time, Nestor Cortes lasted seven innings and didn’t walk a batter, but he paid for third inning homers by Nick Allen (solo) and Tyler Nevin (two-run shot).

Luis Gil, Carlos Rodon and Marcus Stroman are scheduled to oppose the Brewers this weekend, and ace Gerrit Cole (elbow nerve irritation) will remain back, working toward getting back on a mound.

That could happen as early as next week, though it could be sometime in June before Cole is back in the Yankees’ rotation.

Yankees take a chance on ex-Mets pitcher

Active participants on the waiver wire this year, the Yankees claimed another player – this time a pitcher designated for assignment by the Mets.

Right-hander Michael Tonkin was viewed as a reliever “who can help us,’’ providing additional bullpen length according to Yankees manager Aaron Boone.

Since the start of 2023, Tonkin’s 27 relief appearances of at least two innings are the most in the Majors over that span.

Tonkin, 34, will replace right-hander Cody Morris, who was optioned to Class AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after Friday night's game.

Morris was called up last week when reliever Nick Burdi (hip inflammation) landed on the injured list. Morris did not appear in a game for the Yanks.

This season, Tonkin has a 6.00 ERA in six combined relief outings (9 innings, 10 hits, one home run allowed) with the Mets and Minnesota Twins, with 11 strikeouts and four walks.

In parts of seven MLB seasons, Tonkin owns a 4.44 ERA with 235 strikeouts and 81 walks in 235.1 career innings.

Tonkin appeared in 45 games for the Atlanta Braves last season, posting a 4.28 ERA in an MLB career high 80 innings.

At times from 2018 through 2022, Tonkin pitched in Japan, Mexico and with the independent Long Island Ducks for the Atlantic League.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Athletics' Mason Miller gets impressive save vs Yankees with 102 mph heat