Miz looks for first career win vs. Mets in Thursday's series finale

NEW YORK – If ever there was a time to have Jacob Misiorowski on the mound with some edge, this is it.

Misiorowski will be back on the Citi Field mound on Thursday night for the first time since a rough start here last season, looking to deliver length after the Brewers lost Dustin May just one pitch into his outing on Wednesday when he was struck on the back by a line drive.

Fortunately, the Brewers had a starter in reserve to take over for May in left-hander Robert Gasser, followed by Misiorowski in the series finale looking to avenge a July 2, 2025, start in this ballpark that ranks among the poorest of his career. Using Bill James’ game score (30) as the measure, it ranks second lowest among Misiorowski’s 38 career starts to his 1 1/3-inning, five-run dud in Cincinnati last Aug. 15 on the night the Brewers rallied back from an 8-1 deficit after two innings for a 13th consecutive victory, matching the franchise record on the way to 14 in a row.

His start against the Mets in Game 2 of a doubleheader six weeks earlier was not quite as dramatic, though it produced a different kind of milestone. After three dazzling starts to begin his Major League career, Misiorowski absorbed his first loss in the big leagues after working 3 2/3 innings and allowing five earned runs on five hits, including Brandon Nimmo’s second-inning grand slam.

It offered an early look into Misiorowski’s thinking when things go wrong.

“I use the old Tiger Woods approach and move on to the next hit. Move on to the next pitch,” he said that day. “It’s frustrating, but at the same time, it’s a young career and it’s good to figure it out now, not when we’re in the playoffs and it matters most.”

Misiorowski also started against the Mets on July 20 in Milwaukee, though that was a shortened outing (four innings, one unearned run) on 65 pitches coming out of an extended rest over the All-Star break.