After a historically fast rise to the top of the sport, Milwaukee Brewers rookie pitcher Jacob Misiorowski silenced skeptics in his All-Star debut.
Eyes were opened, mouths were closed and doubters were forced to witness why one of the so-called least-deserving all-stars in major-league history belonged.
Rather than focusing on the pressure of the moment, it seemed Milwaukee Brewers rookie Jacob Misiorowski grew even higher in stature and rose to the occasion. Perhaps focusing on the words of his teammates, like Christian Yelich, rather than skeptics.
“It’s an honor, he should enjoy it, and if people don’t like it, (expletive) ‘em,” Yelich said following the announcement Misiorowski would be an all-star after a record-low five MLB games and just 25⅔ innings.
Stepping onto the mound for the National League in the eighth inning and protecting a 6-4 lead, the rookie phenom’s arm lived up to its reputation.
Half of Misiorowski’s 18 pitches were 100-plus miles per hour, as he surrendered zero earned runs after facing four batters.
He was so comfortable that he even admitted he was trying to “show off a little bit” with a changeup during an interview in the dugout.
The major takeaway: Forget about a whiz kid, this 23-year-old Miz kid is ready for big moments on a national stage, dismissing negative public scrutiny.
“It’s like watching a superhero who just realized he’s got a superpower,” Brandon Woodruff said of watching Misiorowski after he outdueled Clayton Kershaw on July 8.
If we’re talking superheroes, Misiorowski, with his unassuming aw-shucks demeanor, looks more like Clark Kent than Superman.
Still, with a fastball that’s been clocked at 103 mph, the phrase “faster than a speeding bullet” is an apt hyperbole for the rookie's powers.
“You say, Miz, and impressed, there isn’t anything I’m not impressed with,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “His poise, energy, spirit, humility, everything. I like the kid.”
Jacob Misiorowski creating a buzz in Milwaukee and beyond
Despite having just five starts in his MLB career, Misiorowski and his 33 strikeouts in less than 26 full innings have had the city of Milwaukee buzzing, and the attendance at American Family Field shows it.
This season, Brewers home attendance has averaged 29,882 fans. In Misiorowski’s first start on June 12, the relatively unknown pitcher performed in front of 27,687 fans.
In his two subsequent home starts, however, Misiorowski was embraced as a small-market star, throwing in front of an average attendance of 40,475 fans at AmFam Field and defeating established superstars Paul Skenes and Kershaw in the process.
“One thing Milwaukee definitely has going for us is the fans,” teammate and second-year outfielder Jackson Chourio said through a translator. “They love to get on board and support young players; it’s incredible. I got to experience it last year, and now you’re seeing it with (Misiorowski). I think it’s awesome, and I think he’s been doing a great job with the attention.”
The organization has made an effort to help Misiorowski handle the attention by limiting opportunities for the media to swarm him.
After winning his start over Skenes on June 25, the team announced two days later that clubhouse media access to Misiorowski would be restricted in his starts going forward.
“You (journalists) come at him with some good, really smart questions, and some really (bad) intern-ish questions that put a little more stress on him,” Murphy said of how Misiorowski has had to tune out noise and focus on baseball.
“It’s hard. He’s got a lot of people happy for him (trying to) just keep it all in perspective for him.”
Jacob Misiorowski getting extra support from Brewers organization
Chourio expressed appreciation for the Brewers organization, calling it “incredible” that Murphy allows young players like him and Misiorowski to play the game their way, referring to the manager's confidence as a “dream come true.”
Even with the media guardrails, before earning the All-Star nod, Misiorowski was garnering attention from veteran peers unaware of his game.
“I know him now,” Kershaw said after losing to Misiorowski. “That was unbelievable. It was really special. I mean, everything. Obviously the velo, but he’s got four pitches, commands the ball … I mean, I don’t know how you hit that.”
It’s been a meteoric rise for the rookie — he once described what it was like watching Shohei Ohtani steal 50 bases and hit 50 home runs “as a kid” … Ohtani has done that only once in his career, last season — still, he remains humble.
Through tears, Misiorowski has thanked his teammates for treating him like a normal person, helping him navigate the transition into the majors and the spotlight that came with it when he was announced as an All-Star.
His catcher, William Contreras, shared some keys for Misiorowski to remain on his trajectory.
“He has to be quiet and stay comfortable,” Contreras said. “You’re not gonna be perfect, but always stay focused on the game.”
After a historic All-Star appearance, outside noise will likely be louder than ever, but if the rookie can remain comfortable and focused on baseball, he’ll continue belonging on the brightest stages in the sport.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: How Brewers phenom Jacob Misiorowski performed in MLB All-Star Game
Category: Baseball
