After the two most ridiculousstarts in MLB history from a velocity standpoint, Jacob Misiorowski had to make do with only 101 mph heat against the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday. It went fine.
The Milwaukee Brewers ace shut down the division rival with six scoreless innings, striking out eight while allowing only three hits and one walk. His ERA now sits at 1.89 through 10 starts.
He also leads MLB with 88 strikeouts on the season. It’s not hard to see how he got there.
Jacob Misiorowski’s 8th K of the night is his 88th this season 🔥
He struck out 87 over 66 IP in his rookie campaign. pic.twitter.com/vdncGR5hQZ
— MLB (@MLB) May 20, 2026
As usual, Misiorowski created some fun history on the way to a 5-2 Brewers win.
Jacob Misiorowski is the first pitcher in Major League Baseball history to have 5 straight starts of 8+ strikeouts and no extra-base hits allowed.
He hasn’t allowed an extra-base hit in a month and five days. He’s struck out 44 batters in that time.
— Curt Hogg (@CyrtHogg) May 20, 2026
Jacob Misiorowski of the @Brewers is the only MLB pitcher in the modern era to have a 4-start span with 30+ strikeouts, 0 runs allowed & 0 XBH allowed. pic.twitter.com/6dvllDqgWO
— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) May 20, 2026
Most 100.0+ mph strikeouts as starter under pitch tracking (2008, including playoffs):
Hunter Greene: 96
Jacob Misiorowski: 58
Jacob deGrom: 57
Justin Verlander: 30
Gerrit Cole: 30 https://t.co/p64adNoqTe— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) May 20, 2026
Misiorowski spent his previous two starts topping out in the realm of 103 mph, the hardest pitches ever thrown by a starting pitcher since MLB began its Statcast tracking in 2008. They are also probably just the fastest pitchers ever from a starter, per MLB.com’s Mike Petriello.
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His max velocity on Tuesday was 101.5 mph, with an average fastball 99.9 mph and an average slider velocity of 94.4 mph. That’s still an unfair level of stuff, and it might be time that Misiorowski has officially leveld up from an up-and-down youngster with eye-popping velocity to one of the best pitchers in baseball.
At the very least, it’s shaping up to be a truly wild NL Cy Young race, as Misiorowski is one of several names off to a dominant start. A sampling:
If there’s a reason to worry about Misiorowski, it’s obviously his health. History is not kind to to the health of starters who regularly sit in the upper 90s or higher, and Misiorowski has also left multiplestarts this month with cramps. His career high in innings as a professional is also only 97 1/3, which he’s on pace to blow past this season unless the Brewers shut him down.
For now, though, he’s a pitcher worth appreciating. Unless you’re in the batter’s box.