MILWAUKEE (AP) 鈥� Milwaukee鈥檚 Jacob Misiorowski set a standard for velocity by a starting pitcher while keeping up his habit of performing best in high-profile situations.
Misiorowski threw 10 pitches of at least 103 mph while striking out 11 over six dominant innings in the Brewers’ over the New York Yankees on Friday night. He had three pitches of 103.6 mph, the highest velocity any starter has reached since Statcast tracking began in 2008.
The 24-year-old right-hander called it a top-three performance in his major league career, which started less than a year ago but already has plenty of highlights.
Misiorowski won head-to-head matchups with 2025 NL Cy Young Award winner and three-time Cy Young winner as a rookie. He had a 1.50 ERA in three last year.
鈥淚t’s just adrenaline,鈥� Misiorowski said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 all it is. You start getting hyped up and you want to perform for your teammates behind you because they’re doing the same for me. That鈥檚 the whole goal.”
Brewers manager Pat Murphy has another perspective on why Misiorowski shines the brighest when the stakes seem highest.
鈥淢iz is interested in being great,鈥� Murphy said. 鈥淎nd he’s in that process of being great.鈥�
Misiorowski shut down the highest-scoring team in the American League on Friday with one of the most remarkable performances of the Statcast era.
Starters had combined for three pitches of at least 103 mph since tracking started in 2008, including one by Misiorowski in his previous outing.
Before Friday, the thrown by a starter since 2008 was a 103.2 mph offering from Jordan Hicks on July 12, 2022. Misiorowski threw seven pitches that were at least that fast in the first two innings.
Misiorowski鈥檚 memorable outing followed a pregame chat with Hall of Fame pitcher who was inducted into the Brewers鈥� Wall of Honor on Friday.
鈥淐C鈥檚 the man,鈥� Misiorowski said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really cool to meet a guy like that. He came in before (the game) and we got to really talk to him and pick his brain a little bit. It was fun.鈥�
The discussion must have pumped Misiorowski up. He nearly opened the game with an immaculate inning.
Misiorowski struck out Trent Grisham and Ben Rice on three pitches each to start the game and got a quick 0-2 count on Aaron Judge, who took a ball before lining out to right fielder Sal Frelick.
鈥淚 had no clue,鈥� Misiorowski said. 鈥淚 got told in the dugout. I went back and looked. I thought (the ball) was close, but, 鈥極h, well.鈥� 鈥�
All 10 of the pitches Misiorowski threw in the went at least 102.4 mph. Yet he maintained his velocity well enough that he reached 103 mph in the fifth inning on his 71st pitch fo the night. He ended his night with consecutive strikeouts of Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger.
Murphy credited that improved endurance to the work Misiorowski has done between starts to build his strength. Murphy compared it to the adjustments a boxer must make when he goes from the three-round bouts in the amateur ranks to longer fights at the professional level.
Forty-one of the 95 pitches Misiorowski threw went 100 mph or higher, raising his season total to 193 in eight starts.
鈥淚鈥檓 not real keen on the velo, whether it鈥檚 100 or 103 or whatever,鈥� Murphy said. 鈥淚 just know if you don鈥檛 have your other stuff or don鈥檛 locate that in the zone or you’re throwing it just down the middle, these guys can time up a jet plane. It鈥檚 not just velo. There鈥檚 a lot more to it.鈥�
Misiorowski’s results have been as impressive as his velocity.
He leads the major leagues with 70 strikeouts and is the first pitcher to have at least 70 through his first eight starts of a season since Atlanta’s Spencer Strider in 2023.
This was the second straight start in which Misiorowski held his opponent scoreless. He had thrown 43 pitches of at least 100 mph in his prior start while working 5 1/3 shutout innings in a over Washington. Misiorowski hadn’t allowed a hit when he left that game due to a right hamstring cramp.
鈥淚t鈥檚 hard to believe that you鈥檙e going to see something you possibly haven鈥檛, with how much baseball we play,鈥� Brewers reliever Shane Drohan said. 鈥淏ut when he鈥檚 on the mound, it鈥檚 possible.鈥�
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