Jacob Misiorowski on his arrival in the big leagues with Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers top pitching prospect Jacob Misiorowski met with reporters a day before his expected big-league debut against St. Louis on June 12.
What a night for Jacob Misiorowski and the Milwaukee Brewers.
The organization’s top pitching prospect was as advertised in his major-league debut, with the right-hander holding the St. Louis Cardinals hitless over five innings to highlight a feel-good 6-0 victory at American Family Field on Thursday, June 12.
Misiorowski wowed the crowd of 27,687 by throwing 14 pitches 100 miles per hour or faster, with his fifth offering of the game his fastest – and the fastest by any Brewers pitcher in the pitch tracking era – at 102.2.
But it wasn’t all heat for the 2022 second-round pick, who complemented his best pitch with an effective slider and curveball, with even a few changeups mixed in for good measure.
Ah, to think what the future may hold.
“It certainly bodes well,” manager Pat Murphy said. “He has high standards for himself. He earned it to get here. We didn’t move him that quickly. He’s got to stay healthy, take care of himself.
“He seems like a pitcher. You know, he’s got pitch-ability. He’s not just a guy out there, heaving it.”
The 23-year-old did provide a few anxious moments three pitches into the sixth inning when he rolled his right ankle on the mound and was lifted from the game with what was later described as cramping in his right thigh and calf.
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Afterwards, Misiorowski said he was fine, and the Brewers actually took his no-hitter into the seventh before finally settling for a three-hit shutout – their sixth of the season and first since May 6.
Before the game, the Brewers cleared space on the 40-man roster for Misiorowski by transferring right-hander Brandon Woodruff to the 60-day injured list and cleared space on the 26-man roster by optioning right-hander Easton McGee to Class AAA Nashville.
A successful open for Misiorowski
The lanky right-hander stood on the mound, took a big breath and fired a 100.5-mph first-pitch strike to Lars Nootbaar.
A 1-2-3 first inning followed, with eight offerings of 100-plus among his 14-pitch, 12-strike effort. Two groundouts and a popout were the net result as Misiorowski departed the field to a standing ovation.
Another three-up, three-down frame resulted in the second for Misiorowski as he navigated his way through the heart of the Cardinals lineup.
His first strikeout came against Willson Contreras, and Misiorowski upped his 100-mph pitch count to 11 with one to Contreras and a pair thrown to Burleson.
“I felt amped up and had to relax myself,” Misiorowski said. “That second inning was like, ‘Calm down. You’ve got this. It’ll be fine.'”
He then got a lead with which to work in the bottom of the frame when Isaac Collins yanked a two-out triple into the corner in right field against Cardinals starter Sonny Gray and then came in to score on a Brice Turang infield single.
Misiorowski lost a seven-pitch battle to leadoff man Nolan Gorman in the third with Gorman ultimately walking, but a tailor-made, double-play grounder off the bat of Pedro Pagés quickly erased both runners.
In the fourth, Misiorowski walked a pair – including the leadoff man – but with two outs got Alec Burleson to pop out to put his fourth scoreless inning into the books.
Misiorowski got Nolan Arenado to fly out to left, then fanned Gorman on a nasty changeup and Pagés on a 101.1-mph fastball to close a 1-2-3 fifth.
He showed a bit of emotion in the aftermath of the punchout, giving a little fist pump as he came off the mound to another big ovation.
Misiorowski’s pitch count sat at 78 – a more than manageable total entering the sixth.
Offense delivers the knockout blow
But first, the offense delivered a knockout blow to his counterpart Gray.
It didn’t look promising to start as Collins drew a leadoff walk from Gray, only to be picked off.
No matter, as Turang, Caleb Durbin, Joey Ortiz and Sal Frelick all singled in succession to stretch the lead out to 4-0. Frelick’s single took a bit to drop and Durbin had to hold briefly at third, leading to Ortiz almost running up his teammate’s back as both crossed the plate.
One pitch after that, Jackson Chourio blasted a two-run homer to center, making it a 6-0 game and ending Gray’s night.
“I think the threat of the steal, threat of movement (helped),” Murphy said. “We’ve seen him a bunch. He’s a great pitcher, a great athlete, a great competitor.
“We did a really nice job staying on our program.”
Misiorowski forced from the game
Murphy said the plan at that point was to go batter by batter with Misiorowski in the sixth. And, armed with plenty of breathing room, Misiorowski fired three straight balls to Victor Scott II to start.
After the third, he appeared to catch his cleats in the dirt and Misiorowski rolled his right ankle as a result. The Brewers, not taking any chances with their future star, pulled him to another standing ovation.
“Good,” is how Misiorowski described his physical condition afterward. “Cramped up. My ankle, I just rolled it. All good. Nothing crazy.”
A tough way to depart a dazzling debut, no?
“Yeah, of course. I don’t want to leave like that,” he said. “I feel like I could have kept going. But I cramped up, and stuff happens.”
Nick Mears came in and walked Scott, then retired the next three batters to keep it 6-0 – and St. Louis without a hit with three innings to go.
Over his 81-pitch outing, Misiorowski walked four and struck out five.
“Lot of fun,” is how he described the game. “Like everything I ever expected.”
Wily Peralta (2013) and Woodruff (2019) were the only two non-opener starters in Brewers history prior to Misiorowski to break reach 100 mph with a pitch.
He’s also just the ninth pitcher and sixth starter since 1900 to go five or more innings without allowing a hit in his major-league debut, with Emmet Sheehan of the Los Angeles Dodgers the last to do is on June 16, 2023.
“It was impressive,” Murphy said. “He was impressive every way you look at it.”
Brewers’ no-hit bid is foiled
Aaron Ashby entered for the seventh and three pitches into his appearance allowed a broken-bat dribbler up the middle to Willson Contreras for the Cardinals’ first hit.
Funnily enough, Misiorowski admitted he wasn’t aware he had handed a budding no-hitter over to Mears when he departed.
“I had no clue,” he said. “I thought one of the popups landed.”
On the next pitch, an offering in the dirt, he was thrown out by brother William Contreras – an unsung hero in helping Misiorowski navigate the evening – trying to take second.
The out was big, as St. Louis followed with two more singles. Ashby then got a flyout and groundout to keep the shutout intact.
Ashby went the distance from there, registering a three-inning save to put the wraps on one of Milwaukee’s most memorable games in quite a while.
“I’ve been playing this out in my head forever,” said Misiorowski. “Since I was a kid. I thought I was going to give up a few hits, get your ‘Welcome to the Show’ experience.
“But I rolled with it, and now we’re here.”
What time is the Brewers game tonight?
Time: 6:40 p.m.
What channel is the Brewers game on tonight?
TV Channel:Â FanDuel Sports Wisconsin.
Brewers lineupSal Frelick RFJackson Chourio CFWilliam Contreras CChristian Yelich DHRhys Hoskins 1BIsaac Collins LFBrice Turang 2BCaleb Durbin 3BJoey Ortiz SSCardinals lineupLars Nootbaar LFMasyn Winn SSIvan Herrera DHWillson Contreras 1BAlec Burleson RFNolan Arenado 3BNolan Gorman 2BPedro Pagés CVictor Scott II CFBrewers schedule
Brewers vs. Cardinals, 7:10 p.m., June 13. Milwaukee RHP Freddy Peralta (5-4, 2.69) vs. St. Louis RHP Erick Fedde (3-5, 3.54). TV – FanDuel Sports Wisconsin. Radio – AM-620 WTMJ.
Brewers vs. Cardinals, 3:10 p.m., June 14. Milwaukee LHP José Quintana (4-1, 2.66) vs. St. Louis RHP Andre Pallante (4-3, 4.75). TV – FanDuel Sports Wisconsin. Radio – AM-620 WTMJ.
Brewers vs. Cardinals, 1:10 p.m., June 15. Milwaukee TBA vs. St. Louis RHP Miles Mikolas (4-3, 4.48). TV – FanDuel Sports Wisconsin. Radio – AM-620 WTMJ.