Jacob Misiorowski shattered records by surpassing 1,000 triple-digit pitches this season, cementing his status as a dominant rotation centerpiece for the Milwaukee Brewers.
Jacob Misiorowski added another dominant performance to a season that continues to become more remarkable.
The Milwaukee Brewers right-hander faced the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday night and allowed one run on four hits with nine strikeouts and two walks in 6.1 innings.
Misiorowski is now 14-5 with a 1.95 ERA and 0.80 ERA in 161.1 innings over 27 starts.
His 236 strikeouts lead MLB.
The numbers alone already place him among MLB’s best pitchers this season, but Misiorowski has also continued adding historic achievements along the way.
Earlier this year, he threw a 105.5 mph pitch, the fastest ever recorded by a starting pitcher in MLB history.
Misiorowski’s new milestone
Tuesday brought another milestone.
Misiorowski became the first pitcher in MLB history to throw at least 1,000 pitches at 100 mph or faster in a single season.
That combination of volume and velocity helps illustrate just how unusual his year has been.
According to OptaSTATS, Misiorowski and New York Yankees flamethrower Cam Schlittler can make more history.
Since ERA became official in both leagues in 1913, no pitcher has completed a season with an ERA below 2.50 and at least 200 strikeouts after entering that year with fewer than 75 career innings.
Both Misiorowski and Schlittler are currently on pace to accomplish it.
Misiorowski entered the season having thrown only 66 innings last year.
One season later, he is leading MLB in several pitching categories while emerging as the centerpiece of Milwaukee’s rotation.
Misiorowski and Schlittler pitch for World Series contenders, creating the possibility of an October matchup between two of the most electric arms in the game.
Misiorowski’s upside
Misiorowski’s greatest weapon is obvious, but his effectiveness goes far beyond raw velocity.
He has learned how to control that power instead of simply relying on it.
His ability to maintain elite speed deep into outings puts constant pressure on hitters, but the deception created by his secondary pitches makes the fastball even more difficult to handle.
Misiorowski also attacks with confidence.
He rarely appears intimidated by difficult situations and is willing to challenge hitters when the game demands it.
That mentality is especially valuable for a pitcher expected to carry significant responsibility in October.
There is also durability in what he has accomplished.
Sustaining this level of intensity across a full season requires preparation, conditioning and the ability to make adjustments as opponents gather more information.
Misiorowski has shown all three.
With time remaining, he will still have opportunities to add even more history to a extraordinary season.
