Jacob Misiorowski won’t make his All-Star debut after all. The Milwaukee Brewers scratched their breakout rookie from Sunday’s start against the Pittsburgh Pirates due to arm fatigue, which also knocks him out of Tuesday’s Midsummer Classic in Philadelphia.
The 24-year-old right-hander was supposed to face Paul Skenes in what would’ve been one of the weekend’s marquee pitching matchups at PNC Park. Instead, he’s sitting out both that start and his first All-Star Game.
The good news? Both Misiorowski and the team think it’s minor.
“It stinks to miss a start and the All-Star Game, but I know it’s the right thing to do in this situation. My arm is a little tired.”
He won’t need a trip to the injured list and expects to return after the break.
Missing the chance to go head-to-head with Skenes, another of baseball’s premier young arms, clearly bothered him. “Even if I were pitching against someone off the street, I’d be disappointed not to pitch,” Misiorowski said. “It doesn’t matter who I’m pitching against.”
That competitive edge has helped fuel one of the more electric rookie seasons we’ve seen in recent memory. Misiorowski enters the break with a 10-4 record and 1.62 ERA, striking out 167 batters in 111 innings across 18 starts.
The Velocity That’s Rewriting Records
What makes Misiorowski special isn’t just his results – it’s how he’s getting them. His four-seam fastball averages 100.5 mph, leading all qualified starters. He’s already thrown 670 pitches at 100 mph or faster this season, more than anyone else in the majors.
That kind of velocity is putting serious wear on a young arm, which explains why Milwaukee’s being extra cautious here.
The Brewers know they’ve got something special in Misiorowski. He’s become a cornerstone of their rotation and their future plans. Trading one start and an All-Star appearance for his long-term health seems like a pretty easy call.
Milwaukee’s in a good position to make the postseason, and they’ll need Misiorowski healthy for that push. The expectation is he’ll return shortly after the break, hopefully with his arm feeling fresh and ready for the stretch run.
It’s disappointing for fans who wanted to see him on the big stage, but sometimes the smart play isn’t always the exciting one.
