Jacob Misiorowski fired a 105.5 MPH fastball past Pete Crow-Armstrong in the first inning on June 26, setting the fastest pitch ever recorded by a starting pitcher in the Statcast era. That moment symbolized a season in which Misiorowski rewrote Milwaukee Brewers’ pitching records and earned the 2026 National League Cy Young Award.
Misiorowski led MLB with a 1.80 ERA, a 0.802 WHIP, and 252 strikeouts, all of which set Milwaukee franchise records. He threw 1,115 pitches at or above 100 MPH, the most ever by any player in a single season. This power and precision helped the Brewers reach the postseason and ultimately win their first World Series title.
The Brewers’ flame-thrower did not maintain the same dominance through the playoffs, but he remained effective enough to win the decisive game five of the Fall Classic. In that game at Tropicana Field against the Tampa Bay Rays, Misiorowski allowed just two hits, a walk, and a hit batsman over five-plus innings, securing the victory that clinched the championship for Milwaukee. Over the entire postseason, he compiled a 2-0 record with a 1.89 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 19 innings pitched.
His playoff performance included a more challenging outing in game one of the National League Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Misiorowski struggled to get through five innings, allowing a run on five hits while striking out five. The Dodgers adjusted to his fastball, reducing its effectiveness, but Milwaukee’s bullpen and offense stepped up to claim the win.
Misiorowski is the fourth Brewers pitcher to win the Cy Young Award and only the second since the franchise moved to the National League. Corbin Burnes won it in 2021, while Rollie Fingers and Pete Vuckovich earned the award in the American League during the early 1980s. Fingers remains one of just nine relievers to have won the award across both leagues.
Burnes, who was traded by Milwaukee to Baltimore and then signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks, indirectly contributed to the 2026 championship by bringing in two players, pitcher DL Hall and infielder Joey Ortiz, who joined the Brewers’ World Series run alongside Misiorowski.
At 32, Misiorowski is under contract through the 2031 season. The Brewers expect to keep a core of players including Christian Yelich, 2026 World Series MVP William Contreras, and Trevor Megill despite losing some free agents such as Brandon Woodruff, Dustin May, and Antonio Senzatela. The team believes it can replace those departures without overspending.
MLB officially announced Misiorowski’s Cy Young win on November 12. The award caps a season in which the Brewers not only reached the pinnacle of baseball by winning their first championship but also saw one of their pitchers deliver an exceptional campaign that will be remembered for his velocity, strikeouts, and key performances in critical games.
According to Yahoo Sports.
