Jacob Misiorowski’s last regular-season start felt like another October rehearsal at American Family Field, only the Brewers were still putting the finishing touches on a 103-win season. Milwaukee’s 24-year-old right-hander worked 5 1/3 shutout innings in Sunday’s 6-4 win over the Cardinals, closing his afternoon by striking out Jordan Walker and walking off to another standing ovation.
Key takeaways
- Misiorowski finished the regular season as the Major League leader in ERA (1.80), strikeouts (252), WHIP (0.80) and opponents’ batting average (.157).
- He allowed two hits and two walks while striking out five Cardinals, with his fastball reaching 102.7 mph.
- Milwaukee ended with baseball’s best record at 103-59 and will open its NLDS on Oct. 3.
- Misiorowski is the second Brewer, after Corbin Burnes in 2021, to claim the MLB ERA title.
- His 174 2/3 innings placed him among a small group of modern pitching-season outliers.
A season that belongs beside the greats
There was no mystery about the staff’s central figure as Milwaukee piled up victories. Every Misiorowski start became its own occasion during the club’s best regular season, and the finale carried the same charge. Fans rose as he headed out to begin his pregame work, then stood again when manager and pitcher had seen enough after five-plus scoreless frames.
His final line for the season was built on both volume and dominance: 174 2/3 innings, a 1.80 ERA, 252 strikeouts, a 0.80 WHIP and a .157 average allowed. He struck out 37.9 percent of the hitters he faced, a figure topped among pitchers with at least 170 innings only by Gerrit Cole’s 39.9 percent mark in 2019.
| Category | Misiorowski, 2026 | Historical context |
|---|---|---|
| Strikeout rate | 37.9% | Second behind Gerrit Cole’s 39.9% in 2019 among qualifying 170-inning seasons |
| WHIP | 0.80 | Tied with Justin Verlander’s 2019 mark; only Pedro Martínez (0.74 in 2000) and Walter Johnson (0.78 in 1913) were lower |
| Opponents’ average | .157 | Lowest on record among the listed qualifying seasons, ahead of Pedro Martínez’s .167 in 2000 |
Only Verlander in 2019 and Martínez in 2000 had previously paired at least 250 strikeouts with a WHIP of 0.80 or better. Misiorowski also became only the fourth pitcher since 1950 to lead the Majors in ERA, strikeouts and opponents’ average, joining Sandy Koufax in 1965, J.R. Richard in 1976 and Mike Scott in 1986.
Milwaukee takes its ace into October
For ERA comparisons in the modern mound-height era, Misiorowski’s 1.80 ranks among the best seasons since 1969 for pitchers who reached 170 innings. Dwight Gooden’s 1.53 in 1985 remains at the front of that list, followed by Greg Maddux’s 1.56 in 1994 and 1.63 in 1995. Misiorowski slots behind such seasons as Zack Greinke’s 1.66 in 2015, Jacob deGrom’s 1.70 in 2018, Pedro Martínez’s 1.74 in 2000 and Justin Verlander’s 1.75 in 2022.
That is serious company for a 24-year-old finishing his first run as the unquestioned ace of a division winner. The Brewers now turn from a record-setting regular season to the postseason, with Game 1 of the NLDS scheduled for Oct. 3. Misiorowski has already given Milwaukee every indication that the fastball, the strikeouts and the command that carried the club through the summer are ready for the next stage.
