Jacob Misiorowski checked another milestone off his personal checklist in the Milwaukee Brewers’ 4-3, 10-inning nailbiter over the Minnesota Twins at American Family Field on Sunday afternoon, Aug. 9, becoming the first pitcher in the major leagues this season to strike out 200 batters.
Not that he’s overly excited about it..
“Not really,” Misiorowski said when asked if he was excited by accomplishing the feat. “Definitely an honor. Most guys don’t get there in a season. It’s cool, but I think there’s bigger milestones to go for, so that’s what we’re looking for.”
His 200th came quickly and decisively, as he dispatched Middleton native Alan Roden with a 101.7-mph fastball to begin the third inning, and Misiorowski was briefly celebrated in the aftermath with a graphic on the scoreboard in center field as well as a nice ovation from the sellout crowd.
It was the right-hander’s fourth punchout in a game that would produce nine in total for him, and he reached the mark in just his 22nd start and 129 ⅓ inning – second-fastest in major-league history behind only Spencer Strider of the Atlanta Braves, who did it in 123 ⅓ innings in 2023.
Misiorowski also became the ninth pitcher in franchise history to reach the mark, joining Yovani Gallardo (three times), Corbin Burnes (three times), Freddy Peralta (three times), Teddy Higuera (two times) and Doug Davis, Zack Greinke, Ben Sheets and Brandon Woodruff (one time apiece).
“It’s just a product of the success I’ve had this season,” Misiorowski said in referencing the speed with which he reached 200 strikeouts. He now sits at 204 with Cleveland’s Gavin Williams next at 185, Toronto’s Dylan Cease at 184 and Cam Schlittler of the New York Yankees at 182.
“I think it’s just something that maybe later in my career, when I’m done playing, I’ll realize what I did. But right now, it doesn’t mean anything.”
Misiorowski came out of the chute blazing 21 straight fastballs with a pair of 103.9-mph missiles among his first seven offerings and he allowed but a soft single off his left calf by Brooks Lee in the second inning before Lee took him deep in his second at-bat to tie the game at 1-1 in the fifth.
It remained a tie game into the sixth and with two outs, Misiorowski walked Josh Bell and followed that up by allowing a homer to Kody Clemens that again knotted the score.
On both homers, Misiorowski left 99-mph fastballs out over the plate as his velocity waned.
It appeared as though he might have surrendered a second straight homer to Lee, who followed Clemens with a high fly ball of his own to right, but Luis Lara made a catch at the wall to keep it a 3-3 game.
In all, Misiorowski allowed four hits, the three runs and one walk while striking out nine. He threw 70 strikes over his 94 pitches.
“Another day game. I feel like I’ve been throwing nothing but day games,” he said. “I felt good. Tired a little bit, but made it work.”
DL Hall earned his first victory of the season after pitching a scoreless 10th, leaving Misiorowski’s record at 11-5 and “The Miz” with only two wins since the start of July (the Brewers are 4-2 in his starts over that span). His season ERA also rose slightly from 1.63 to 1.76, but that’s still well ahead of Chris Sale’s 2.20 mark for the Atlanta Braves.
“He’s got a long ways to go as a pitcher, guys,” manager Pat Murphy said. “But there’s flashes of such brilliance that you’re shaking your head like, ‘Wow.’ He handles it really well. Really proud of the kid.”
Luis Lara makes his presence felt
At the plate, Lara had a forgettable game, finishing 0 for 4 with a strikeout.
In right field, the rookie made not one but two highlight-reel catches, harkening back to his 2025 season when he was one of three minor-league outfielders at all levels to win a Rawlings Gold Glove Award while playing at Class AA Biloxi.
“I mean, he’s a ballplayer, man. That’s why the organization made a long-term commitment to him,” said Murphy. “He’s not comfortable. You come to the big leagues, he’s 21 years old, it’s tough. I liken it to being on roller skates and not be on the ground like the rest of us.
“It’s tough to navigate and keep bouncing back.”
The aforementioned play Lara made to end Misiorowski’s day in the sixth inning occurred in a tough spot for a right fielder – where the wall bends backward and toward the visiting bullpen on the east end of a fenced-in, field-level patio for fans.
Lara immediately headed to right-center, only to realize later the ball was hit much further to his left. He turned on the jets, got to the wall and hauled the ball in as he crashed into the padding, emerging with ball in glove while pumping his fist in excitement.
The second catch, off the bat of Clemens with one out in the 10th, saw Lara range from his right to his left again and then leap into the wall. He hit a support beam as he made contact, then not only came down with the ball but also had the presence of mind to quickly fire the ball in from his knees before falling backward in pain on the warning track.
That kept the runner from advancing any further than third base, and Hall then struck out Lee to retire the Twins.
Lara remained down for a bit but eventually regained his bearings and got back to his feet to the delight of the crowd.
“Comparing the two, the first one was more difficult just because I lost it in the air,” Lara said. “Thankfully my instincts were able to kick in and I was able to pick it back up mid-flight and make the play.
“The second one, really, when I saw the ball off the bat I just knew whatever happened, happened, but I was going to find a way to make the play. That’s the only thing I was thinking – just to go get it.”
Murphy said that he has been intentionally keeping Lara in right field with Sal Frelick still working his way back from a shoulder injury.
“Both those plays, it’s tough to navigate,” Murphy said. “We’re so used to having the best right fielder in the game in Sal. That’s why I didn’t put (Lara) in center today. Lara is very capable in center field, but I didn’t put him in center because I want him to just keep getting more and more comfortable in right field.”
Lara has had some issues with near-collisions with teammates in previous games, but he’s also made other great plays like the twin killing he started with a catch and throw to first to double off a Pittburgh Pirates runner on Aug. 6.
“From the first day I’ve been adapting and I feel like I’m going to continue to adapt,” said Lara. “My mentality’s been anything I can do to give favor to the team, I’m going to go out there and do my best at it.”
A whirlwind welcome for Jihwan Bae
Jihwan Bae had been released by the New York Mets from his stint at Class AAA Syracuse on Aug. 4 and had been at his home in Tampa awaiting another opportunity when the Brewers called.
In need of infield depth with Joey Ortiz hurting and Cooper Pratt destined for the injured list, Milwaukee first sent Bae to meet up with Class AAA Nashville in Memphis on Saturday. He arrived but didn’t play, and after the game Bae was alerted he was then going to be needed at American Family Field.
Two flights later he found himself in Milwaukee and on the taxi squad – but only briefly. After imaging showed Pratt would need to be placed on the IL with a right hamstring strain, Bae was moved onto the active roster and in the seventh inning found himself in the game.
And what better way to introduce yourself to your new manager and teammates than to lay down a perfect bunt on the first pitch you see? Bae’s drag bunt was a beauty, and in the ninth inning he then laid down a successful sacrifice bunt to advance the baserunner into scoring position with one out.
Bae also played the final four innings in the field at second base.
“It was exciting,” Bae said. “The team was doing good and then I got in a tie game. You get nervous, but there was a lot of excitement right after, so it was really fun.”
And now Bae hops onto the Brewers’ charter flight and heads to the West Coast for a seven-game series against the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers.
“Yesterday in Triple-A and today too, I met 200 new people,” Bae said with a smile. “That’s baseball.”
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Jacob Misiorowski surpasses 200-strikeout mark for the first time
Reporting by Todd Rosiak, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Todd Rosiak, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | USA TODAY Network
