MILWAUKEE – Do you think Jacob Misiorowski was fired up to face the Phillies?
The Brewers’ fireballer started Friday’s game at American Family Field by striking out Kyle Schwarber with a 104.5 mph fastball, the fastest pitch from a starter since pitch tracking began in 2008.
Home plate umpire Chad Fairchild ruled it a foul tip that settled into catcher William Contreras’ glove, and while that was open for debate – Schwarber sure did, vehemently – it looked to clip the strike zone regardless. Either way, it was the first out of an opening inning in which Misiorowski went three up, three down with three strikeouts against a trio of superstars, getting Schwarber swinging, Trea Turner swinging at 103.5 mph and Bryce Harper swinging at 104.1 mph.
Just like that, Misiorowski had the three fastest strikeout pitches for a starter in the pitch tracking era, including the postseason. Misiorowski also had the old mark (103.4 mph on May 25 against the Cardinals). Through Friday’s first inning, he now holds the top 10 spots.
The fastest overall pitch in the pitch tracking era is 105.8 mph by then-Reds reliever Aroldis Chapman on Sept. 24, 2010. The hardest strikeout pitch is 105.5 mph by Angels reliever Ben Joyce on Sept. 3, 2024.
What might have inspired the extra edge on the 24-year-old’s already angry fastball? Remember, it was the Phillies who raised the loudest objections last July when Major League Baseball invited Misiorowski to the All-Star Game with just five starts under his belt. They felt the honor should have gone to their teammate, left-hander Cristopher Sánchez.
We just missed a head-to-head matchup of those two National League Cy Young Award candidates in this series. Sánchez is scheduled to start for Philadelphia on Sunday.