Brewers manager Pat Murphy described the moment Vladimir Guerrero Jr. appeared stunned by Jacob Misiorowski’s first pitch during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays—an anecdote that mirrors how widely Misiorowski’s 100+ mph heat has already been turning heads
Jacob Misiorowski doesn’t just pitch in 2026—he makes people look twice.
The Brewers’ right-hander has built a reputation on fastballs that consistently sit over 100 mph. turning his outings into a kind of spectacle even for Milwaukee’s own clubhouse. On Friday. Brewers manager Pat Murphy added a memorable detail to the hype. telling a story that started with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and ended with Murphy himself shaking his head.
During an interview on MLB Network, Murphy recalled an at-bat from Misiorowski—who was then 24—against Guerrero during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays. Murphy said he watched Guerrero’s reaction after the first pitch and was struck by how completely surprised the star appeared.
“I think back to an at-bat with Vladdy, I think we were home against Toronto, and I saw his reaction after the first pitch,” Murphy said. “He kind of looked at William [Contreras], and kind of looked towards the dugout, like, ‘What am I to do with that?’… I’m shaking my head, like, wow.”
Guerrero’s response carried extra weight because the Blue Jays slugger is one of the best hitters in the league. Still, Murphy said the moment left an impression—because for all Guerrero’s experience, Misiorowski’s velocity seemed to land with a different kind of impact.
That same kind of production has followed Misiorowski through the early part of the 2026 campaign. Through 11 starts so far, the second-year pro owns a 1.83 ERA and leads all of MLB with a 0.828 WHIP. He also has a league-high 100 strikeouts.
Milwaukee’s next chapter is set for Sunday. Misiorowski is expected to make his next start for the Brewers’ three-game series finale against the Houston Astros. with another chance to keep this run rolling. In particular. Murphy’s fastball story fits neatly into what the numbers have shown recently: Misiorowski has allowed only one earned run in the past five games. giving him an opportunity to lower his ERA further while facing Houston in a high-stakes final game of the set.
Milwaukee Brewers Pat Murphy Jacob Misiorowski Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Toronto Blue Jays Houston Astros MLB Network 2026 season NL Cy Young Award WHIP strikeouts ERA