Jacob Misiorowski threw harder and more often than any starter in baseball history, yet left the mound Friday night with a loss and a reminder that dominant velocity alone cannot guarantee wins.
The 24-year-old Brewers ace struck out seven over six innings against Atlanta, but two runs crossed the plate before he was pulled. Milwaukee fell to the Braves 3-2, handing Misiorowski his first multi-run deficit since late April.
The raw numbers told a different story. Misiorowski hit 104.2 mph with his fastball and threw 54 pitches at 100 mph or faster, according to Statcast data. Most notably, he unleashed 47 pitches of 101 mph or higher, shattering his own previous record of 45 set on June 6 against Colorado. No starting pitcher has thrown that many triple-digit heaters in a single game since pitch tracking began in 2008.
Mauricio Dubón's two-run single in the sixth inning broke a 29-inning scoreless streak that had stretched back to May 25. It was the first time in nearly two months that Misiorowski allowed more than one run in any game.
Brewers manager Pat Murphy said after the loss that perspective matters when evaluating elite pitchers. "He was great, he was dominant, fantastic. You know, you're going to give up runs. You're a human," Murphy said. "Go back and look at some of the greats. They all gave up runs. We're kind of shocked when he gives up a run."
Misiorowski entered Friday averaging 100.1 mph on his fastball, the fastest mark for any starter in the pitch-tracking era. His ERA rose slightly to 1.45 after the loss, though he remains a rare talent early in his career.
The Braves came prepared. Manager Walt Weiss praised his team's approach against the 6-foot-7 right-hander, noting the challenges of his size combined with his speed. "It's big-time extension with big-time velocity, so the ball is on you," Weiss said. "He throws strikes, so you have to be aggressive. You've got to be ready to fire. It's a tough guy to have two strikes against, because he's punching people out."
Misiorowski reflected on the loss without frustration. "I think they made good swings and nothing has changed," he said. "I felt fine. They are definitely a really good team. You could see that with all their at-bats today. There wasn't a single at-bat they were off."
The matchup carried historical weight beyond Friday's game. Misiorowski was originally slated to face Braves ace Chris Sale, another pitcher he has long admired, but a rainout Thursday pushed Sale's start to Saturday. Misiorowski pitched an earlier All-Star Game appearance at Truist Park, throwing a scoreless eighth inning for the National League just a year after his first professional season.
His June 12 shutout of Philadelphia, a 95-pitch gem with 15 strikeouts on one hit, elevated Misiorowski from prospect to national story. But even historic velocity meets reality against quality competition.
Author James Rodriguez: "Misiorowski is special, but Friday proved that pure heat and records don't win ballgames when the other team is ready."
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