MILWAUKEE -- Jacob Misiorowski needed all of one pitch to make postseason history in 2026.
The Brewers right-hander opened Game 1 of the National League Division Series against the Padres on Saturday night with a 104.8 mph fastball to Fernando Tatis Jr., the fastest postseason pitch recorded since pitch tracking began in 2008.
Then he threw his second pitch at 104.6 mph -- also faster than the previous record, a 104.5 mph fastball thrown by Padres closer Mason Miller in Game 2 of the 2025 NL Wild Card Series against the Cubs.
Misiorowski’s opening offering was the second-fastest pitch of his career, behind the 105.5 mph fastball he threw to the Cubs’ Pete Crow-Armstrong on June 26.
For the Brewers’ ace, that kind of heat apparently feels more ordinary than it looks.
“For me, most games, when I’m hitting 99, 101, that’s kind of just coast,” Misiorowski said Friday. “That’s just nice and easy for us.”
Saturday’s opening inning went well beyond cruising speed. Misiorowski struck out Tatis and induced a Dustin Harris groundout to second before Manny Machado doubled on a slider. Misiorowski, who also reached 104.5 mph against Machado, stranded him by striking out Ty France to complete a scoreless, 25-pitch first inning.
The immediate fireworks delivered on the promise of a series featuring baseball’s two most prolific triple-digit pitchers. Misiorowski and Miller finished first and second, respectively, in 100-plus mph pitches during the regular season.
Before the series, Miller pointed to more than velocity when assessing his fellow flamethrower.
“He’s at his best when he’s feeling confident and throwing his fastball for a strike and just letting it go as hard as he can,” Miller said.
Misiorowski wasted no time letting it go.