After being outdueled by Milwaukee Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski, Atlanta Braves pitcher Chris Sale praised his triple-digit fastball as the most impressive he has ever seen.
Friday afternoon featured a true battle of aces, with Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Jacob Misiorowski facing Atlanta Braves veteran Chris Sale.
The matchup lived up to its billing, but Misiorowski delivered the stronger performance.
The clear National League Cy Young favorite threw six scoreless innings in Milwaukee’s 2-1 victory over Atlanta. He surrendered just four hits with six strikeouts and two walks.
Sale on the other hand, gave up two earned runs on eight hits with six strikeouts in six innings.
Misiorowski lowered his MLB-leading ERA to 1.68 and also earned significant praise from a pitcher widely viewed as a future Hall of Famer.
High praise from a fellow ace
According to Adam McCalvy from MLB.com, Sale came away extremely impressed by what he saw from his opponent.
Sale described Misiorowski as operating in a class of his own this season and called his fastball the most impressive he had ever seen. He also acknowledged that Atlanta knew beforehand how difficult the matchup would be.
“It seems like he’s kind of in a league of his own this year. It’s probably the most impressive fastball I’ve ever seen. We knew it was going to be tough sledding tonight,” Sale said.
That recognition carries plenty of weight for the 24-year-old, who has established himself as one of MLB’s most electric pitchers.
Sale delivered an excellent performance of his own, but Misiorowski was better.
The Brewers ace improved to 13-5 with a 1.68 ERA and 0.76 WHIP in 145 innings over 24 starts this season. He also maintained an MLB-leading 39.3 percent Strikeout Rate (K%).
The win also solidified Milwaukee’s as serious World Series contenders.
Sale’s admiration for Misiorowski’s fastball is hardly surprising.
The right-hander combines elite velocity, exceptional extension and overwhelming power in a way few pitchers can match.
Misiorowski consistently averages more than 100 mph with his fastball and has reached 106 mph.
His release extension is equally important as it allows his already extraordinary velocity to play even faster.
By releasing the baseball closer to home plate, he effectively shortens the distance hitters have to react, making an already difficult pitch even more challenging to handle.
That combination has separated Misiorowski from virtually every other power pitcher in MLB.
He also reached another major milestone on Aug. 9 against the Minnesota Twins, becoming the first pitcher in MLB to record 200 strikeouts this season.
His fastball has been the centerpiece of that dominance.
What makes Misiorowski special
What makes Misiorowski especially dangerous, however, is that his value extends beyond radar-gun readings.
His confidence allows him to challenge hitters aggressively, while his athletic delivery helps him create unusual angles and deception.
He also possesses the mentality required to handle high-profile matchups. Facing an accomplished veteran such as Sale could easily become a distraction for a young pitcher, but Misiorowski remained focused on executing his own game plan.
His willingness to attack the strike zone with elite stuff creates constant pressure on opposing hitters.
Misiorowski has not simply raised the standard for velocity in 2026.
He has combined that physical talent with execution, confidence and consistency, turning an extraordinary fastball into the foundation of a Cy Young-caliber season, while helping the Brewers contend.
