MILWAUKEE — As Jacob Misiorowski made the turn to first base to record the final out of the third inning, the Brewers’ rookie flamethrower decided to take the ball to the bag himself rather than toss it on to first baseman Andrew Vaughn.
“I was honestly scared to overthrow Vaughn or do something stupid,” Misiorowski said with a chuckle. “So it was more of I didn’t want to mess something up, but … the adrenaline was pumping and hands kind of locked up and I was like, ‘I can beat him, let’s just take it.’”
That decision led to a perfect photo-op. After Misiorowski stepped on the bag, he found a camera on the field and screamed into the lens, amped after completing his first postseason inning and a perfect encapsulation of everything you get when the 6-foot-7, 23-year-old stud is on the mound: emotion and eye-opening stuff.
Misiorowski brought plenty of both in Monday’s game between the Cubs and Brewers at American Family Field. He turned in three scoreless frames, striking out four with two walks and a hit allowed and was credited with the win as the Brewers beat the Cubs, 7-3, to take a 2-0 edge in the best-of-five National League Division Series.
“I think I was so fired up, adrenaline pumping, you know, I didn’t really know where my feet were,” Misiorowski said. “But we landed, so it was fun.”
When Misiorowski is on his game, there are few as fun as him. Of his 57 pitches thrown Monday, 31 were at least 100 mph, with a dozen registering at 102 mph or greater. Since the advent of pitch tracking in 2008, it’s the most 100 mph pitches a pitcher has thrown in a postseason outing. There have been only three postseasons with more fastballs thrown at least 102 mph league-wide than Misiorowski threw Monday (this season had 15 entering the day, 2016 had 40 and ‘17 had 15).
Among that onslaught of triple-digit fastballs were two offerings to Kyle Tucker that registered at 104.3 and 104.2 mph, the latter resulting in a groundout. That speed is almost unheard of, but it’s hardly a surprise to his teammates.
“When he was warming up, I was talking to our infielders and I go, ‘He’s going to throw 104 right here,’” Vaughn said, “and he did.”
“In the postseason, [with] the atmosphere coming out of the bullpen and all the energy he brings, I probably could have told you he’s going to throw 104 today,” starter Aaron Ashby said.
“There’s probably less than five people on the planet who can do what he just did tonight,” right-hander Quinn Priester said. “It was awesome to see him rise to that occasion in a playoff atmosphere, to see that kind of focus in him.”
It was also a sorely needed outing. Not just because he was the bulk guy in a bullpen game in which the Brewers used seven pitchers, but because it was a lot closer to the Misiorowski the baseball world was introduced to in June and July, rather than the pitcher who mostly struggled down the stretch.
Earning an All-Star nod after just five outings, Misiorowski recorded a 6.06 ERA over his final eight appearances after returning from the injured list due to a left tibia contusion. The performance led to some uncertainty on if he would even be on the Brewers’ postseason roster.
“It’s out of my control,” Misiorowski said about not knowing if he would pitch this postseason. “It’s just you see your name on the list and you’re going to go and perform how they expect you [to] help the team win.”
Misiorowski did just that Monday, riding his adrenaline to get there. It has to be doled out in doses, and a fourth-inning dugout conversation between Brewers manager Pat Murphy and his pitcher helped him stay grounded. But for a team looking for that dynamic arm, he showed up on the biggest stage of his career thus far.
“He was very emotional, and you guys know what he’s been through, but he responded,” Murphy said. “I think that’s a really good sign.”
Having that Misiorowski would be a boost for the Brewers, who have some question marks on their playoff staff since Jose Quintana hasn’t pitched in a game setting since returning from the injured list. Even in shorter doses, Misiorowski offers a boost, especially when he has that fastball working.
“That’s a special arm,” bullpen coach Charlie Greene said. “You don’t see 104. That’s a weapon.”
And for the layman who will never throw a baseball 104 mph, what does that feel like?
“I wasn’t really feeling anything,” Misiorowski said. “There was so much adrenaline, and I wasn’t really feeling anything. I was just kind of doing it.”
