Nobody can beat the Miz. That’s what the Milwaukee Brewers were hoping for when right-hander Jacob Misiorowski took the mound against the San Diego Padres in Game 1 of the NLDS on Saturday night.
And yet, Misiorowski’s first postseason experience wasn’t exactly like that a season ago. He pitched well, just not by much — just 12 innings in three outings in the NLDS and NLCS. It’s now becoming ancient history, but Misiorowski’s dominance as a rookie was pretty short-lived all the way through.
He made the NL All-Star team after making just five starts and suffered arm fatigue in the final 10 regular-season games in 2025. The idiocy continued into the postseason, which didn’t help the Brewers benefit from having the league’s best record during the playoffs. They swept the Chicago Cubs in the NLDS, but the Dodgers never looked vulnerable in the NLCS.
Call it Miz’d opportunity.
Speaking to reporters Friday, Misiorowski recalled that he thought his postseason trip would last longer, especially starting in Game 2 of the NLDS against the Cubs.
“Honestly, there was a lot of adrenaline in that game,” Misiorowski said. “Everything didn’t go the way I thought it would. I thought I’d take the ball a little deeper in the game.”
That’s at least one difference this time around for the Brewers: The Miz was healthy and hit 101 mph in late September with as strong a throw as ever. He threw at least six innings 18 times during the regular season and faced at least 20 innings a total of 25 times in 30 starts. Misiorowski suffered a mid-season arm soreness scare that forced him to miss the All-Star Game.
He stays in games longer because he strikes out more. His BB% went from 11.4% to 6.6%. And he didn’t have to sacrifice strikes to do it.
“Being in the zone,” Misiorowski said. “I think that’s the key to all my success this year: just being in the zone and commanding the zone and really making guys believe I’m going to attack them. They’ve got to come to me and not expect me to carry them or anything like that.”
His fielding percentage dipped slightly in the following months and his overall usage declined in the second half. However, these details are tailored to the plans of the Brewers. Not because Misiorowski is shrinking, but simply because he isn’t shrinking.
Yes, it’s time for the Brewers to throw caution to the wind. And caution is best thrown at 105.5 mph.
Misiorowski is an effective pitcher for any amount of time, but he is truly scary when he pitches unrestricted. That’s likely what we’ll see starting Saturday after Milwaukee gives him three innings here and four there.
The Brewers have been waiting for the World Series since 1982. Their fans can’t wait to see what Miz has in store for the Padres and beyond.