Latest news with #Misiorowski
NBC Sports
6 hours ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Jacob Misiorowski finds control on and off the mound in his tremendous start
It's hard to start an MLB career much better than Jacob Misiorowski has. The 23-year-old has allowed just two runs on three hits in his first 16 innings, while striking out 19 and walking seven. He was the first pitcher in the last 125 years to start his career with 11 hitless innings, and he outdueled the reigning NL Rookie of the Year, Paul Skenes, in a marquee matchup last week. It would be understandable if Misiorowski was excited by his accomplishments, but the Brewers' rookie has maintained a level-headed approach through his early success. 'I think the biggest thing is not going on Instagram, not looking at all that stuff,' he explained in the visiting clubhouse at Citi Field before a game against the Mets. 'I mean, you're gonna see it, but I think that's the biggest part of [keeping focused], staying off of that stuff, and being able to be with family, friends, and my girlfriend, being around her. That's been huge that they've been with me.' In addition to having his family on the road with him during the early stages of his MLB career, Misirowski has found comfort in trying to live in the moment and take things one day at a time. 'Through my whole career, I've been told, 'Hey, keep going. Stay where your feet are. I think that's the biggest thing with being able to stay mentally in control of myself, and just not thinking too far in the future.' The ability to control the mental aspects of his career may have come more easily to Misiorowski than controlling his impressive arsenal of pitches. Coming into the 2025 season, he hadn't posted a BB/9 innings under 5.09 in either of his professional seasons and even posted a 5.32 BB/9 at Crowder College before even being drafted. He had never posted a walk rate lower than 11.9% at any stop in his minor league career, which led many scouting services, including MLB Pipeline, to question the 6'7" Misiorowski's ability to consistently repeat his delivery with his long limbs. A handful of those sites believed he was 'headed for a high-leverage bullpen role as a right-handed Josh Hader.' However, Misiorowski began to rewrite the narrative early this season, showing clear signs of improvement in his command. In 63.1 innings at Triple-A before his call-up, he posted a 12.3% walk rate, which was his lowest at any level since 23 innings in High-A back in 2023. While those numbers aren't eye-popping, they're signs of growth for a young pitcher, and Misiorowski issued three walks or fewer in seven of his last nine starts in Triple-A. Over that stretch, he walked 22 and struck out 56 in 43.2 innings, that's a BB/9 of 4.2, which is a tremendous improvement from what we saw from him in 2024. 'I don't think it's been any one thing,' he answered when asked what the cause of his progress was. 'I think it's just been the work I put in over the years. I think it finally just clicked for me.' Some of the work that Misiorowski is referring to are specific drills he's done in his bullpens to ensure that his mechanics remain consistent and that he drives off the mound towards home plate, which can often be harder for taller pitchers with longer limbs that can throw off their center of gravity during a windup. 'The biggest thing for me is the water bags and staying on a good routine of throwing pens,' explained Misiorowski. 'I feel like if I do that every day, stay on that schedule, I'll be fine.' The use of water bags is a popular training method that many pitchers like Paul Skenes use and is explained in detail in this video from Tread Athletics. The water bag, which is worn on a pitcher's shoulders, creates dynamic resistance during a bullpen session, which forces the pitcher to create and repeat a more fluid and stable motion that can increase power and command through repeatable mechanics. Misiorowski has found the water bags particularly helpful because they 'make [his] front side feel more in sync and like locked up, so [he] feels like [he] hits that front side and [he doesn't] fall over or drift to the glove side, so it feels good.' Those repeatable mechanics and bullpen drills have been useful for the young right-hander this season, but they're not the only thing that has fueled his successful season. 'Also, using my eyes to throw instead of just trusting that the ball was gonna go somewhere,' Misiorowski continued. 'Maybe changing the sights a little bit, that's been a huge help.' That part about using his 'eyes' to throw is a crucial step in the development of a young pitcher. Misiorowski has as dynamic an arsenal of pitches as you will find. His four-seam fastball has posted a 133 Stuff+ grade, where a grade of 100 implies a league average pitch. His curveball also has a 143 grade, and his slider has a 117 mark. That's three pitches that are well above league average when it comes to raw stuff, and all three pitches have delivered so far this season. The fastball and curve are both in the 75th percentile or better in swinging strike rate, while the fastball is also 100th percentile in Ideal Contact Rate (ICR) allowed, and the slider has impeccable command with a 92nd percentile zone rate and 81st percentile strike rate. When you have a mix of pitches with such an impressive combination of movement and velocity, it's easy to fall back on just 'trusting your stuff.' What's the harm in trusting a four-seam fastball that averages 99.6 mph and has a 14.5% swinging strike rate? Why not simply trust an 87.6 mph curveball that has more vertical drop at that speed than any other curve in baseball? The reason is that simply rearing back and 'just trusting that the ball was gonna go somewhere' can lead to pitches that are too imprecise. Maybe a fastball catches too much of the heart of the plate, or a curve doesn't start high enough in the zone to draw a swing. As Misiorowski advanced up the levels in the minor leagues, he needed to learn to lock in on his cues and find his sightlines or targets to ensure his pitches were as competitive as they needed to be. 'Everyone has their special [visual cues] or their thoughts that they have with a curveball, a slider, different things like figure out what that is for you, and you do it like, repeat and repeat again,' he explained. 'The slider, for me, would be aiming at the catcher's elbow with the curveball I'm aiming at the umpire's face mask and getting it to drop in. And, you know, you're moving that sight down and up, wherever you need it. If you need it in the dirt, you're going like, bottom of the catcher's chin, stuff like that.' Establishing those visual cues and being able to adjust them based on what he specifically wants out of each pitch has been a huge turning point in Misiorowski's maturity on the mound. It has allowed each of his pitches to be more impactful and be thrown with a purpose. However, command comes and goes in the course of a given start for every pitcher. Leaning on your visual cues is an important component in re-establishing your command before the game gets away from you, but sometimes the in-game check needs to be mechanical. Misiorowski has locked in on that for himself this year as well. 'For me, I think the biggest [check] is the slider,' he revealed. 'The slider gets me back pretty good. I think it's just one of those things. That's the one pitch I've always had control over, so I think that's the biggest cue, just like, 'Okay, get back on the front side, feel good with the slider, and then the heater will follow.'' Misiorowski's use of the slider to correct any mechanical issues makes complete sense. The pitch, which is 94.5 mph but features only 2.6 inches of horizontal movement, is one that he pounds the zone with against both righties and lefties. He's in the 92nd percentile in zone rate and 81st percentile in strike rate against hitters of both handedness. He also uses it early in the count 60% of the time or higher against both righties and lefties, posting a 90th percentile early called strike rate overall. Even though Misiorowski's slider has an above-average PutAway Rate, which measures how often a two-strike pitch ends in a strikeout, against both righties and lefties, its value to him is not only in getting ahead in the count but also in keeping his mechanics and focus in check. Once he's ahead in the count, he can go to his four-seamer or curveball for swings-and-misses. He uses his four-seamer 40% of the time in two-strike counts to righties, posting an 81st percentile chase rate in those counts, even though he has just an average PutAway rate. Against lefties, he uses his curveball 69% of the time in two-strike counts, and it has been a solid offering for him with an above-average 18.2% PutAway Rate and 12.5% SwStr%. The success of the curve and the fact that his fastball misses more bats against lefties has meant that Misiorowski has had better luck getting strikeouts against lefties than righties, but his strikeout potential is elite regardless. That swing-and-miss upside was never in question with Misiorowski. He seemed like an elite reliever in a worst-case scenario. However, taking control of the mental elements of pitching and being a professional baseball player has allowed the 6'7" righty to improve his command on the mound and make the most of his tremendous upside. With his level-headed approach and support system, this feels more like a sign of things to come than a flukey small sample hot streak.
NBC Sports
12 hours ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
MLB NL Rookie of the Year Predictions: Odds, expert picks, including Jacob Misiorowski, Burns, Ramirez
The National League Rookie of the Year market is beginning to look like a runaway as Jacob Misiorowski attempts to become a household name. The Milwaukee Brewers rookie pitcher is now listed at -180 at DraftKings Sportsbook after being +1700 prior to his first start. Since June 12, Misiorowski's odds have moved from +1700 to +1100 to +300 to +150 to -110 to -190 and in that span — it's clear that no one else has shined the way he has. Make sure you follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long. National League Rookie of the Year: Jacob Misiorowski (-180) There is an influx of new generational talent coming up the MLB pipeline from players capable of stealing bases at record rates like Chandler Simpson of the Rays or Paul Skenes starting the All-Star game as a rookie last year for the Pirates — the next in line for stardom is Jacob Misiorowski. In his first three career starts, Misiorowski (-180) has totaled 16.0 innings pitched, 3 wins to 0 losses, 3 hits allowed, 2 earned runs allowed (1.13 ERA), and 19 strikeouts to 7 walks. Misiorowski walked four in his debut start against St. Louis but walked three and struck out 14 over the next two starts. In his MLB debut against the Cardinals, Misiorowski made an immediate impact throwing 100+ MPH pitches in his first three pitches and 11 of his first 24. He recorded the fastest pitch of any Brewer in the statcast era dating back to 2008, plus recorded a no-hitter through 5.0 innings. The 23-year-old is a star. Misiorowski's latest rise came when he went head-to-head with Paul Skenes and the Pirates. It was a sight and very hyped game as these could be two of the best pitchers over the next five to ten years. Skenes is 6-foot-3 and 260 lbs, in other words a tank, while Misiorowski is 6-foot-7 and 197 lbs — a slender assassin. Milwaukee was victorious against Pittsburgh, 4-2, and Misiorowski dominated for his third straight win. Misiorowski went five strong scoreless innings on 74 pitches with eight strikeouts, two walks, and two hits allowed. While Skenes dominated last year and was the talk of the rookie pitching class, it's clear that Misiorowski is the 2025 version. At anything below -250 (DraftKings has -180), Misiorowski is a play because the award is his to lose. If you're looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports! Cincinnati's Chase Burns (+2500) appeared to be Misiorowski's biggest competition after his MLB debut consisted of eight strikeouts over 5.0 innings against the Yankees, including five of the first six batters. However, Burns could not get out the first inning (0.1 IP) in his next start, on the road at St. Louis. Burns allowed five earned runs (seven runs overall), five hits, two walks and one homer. We can't trust that, so I will pass on Burns. Atlanta's Drake Baldwin (+450) is now second in terms of odds, but has gone cold recently. Baldwin is hitless over the last four games (9 AB) and hitting 0.83 over the past seven days (12 AB). In the last 30 days, Baldwin is hitting .186 with 14 strikeouts to 10 walks, plus 11 hits, 11 RBI, and four homers. Overall, a .273 batting average, 9 home runs and 26 RBI through 57 games isn't anything to hang your head on, but I don't think it will be enough to hang with Misiorowski. Miami's Agustin Ramirez (+1300) has watched his odds decrease in the past week despite Miami's eight-game winning streak. Ramirez is hitting .252 with 12 homers and 33 RBI through 59 games this season and even been hot over the last week with a .417 batting average (24 AB), 10 hits and 6 RBI. If there was another bet to make in this market, it's Ramirez, but something is fishy for him to be playing well and seeing his odds move from +450 to +1300. Keep an eye on Ramirez because he may be the main hedge in this market. Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type! Pittsburgh's Bubba Chandler (+7000) was another player to keep an eye on for NL Rookie of the Year, but his big league debut will be delayed even further after six earned runs allowed over 2.2 innings in his most recent Triple-A start. Chandler was expected to make a debut in May or early June this season, but his struggles have prevented that. Misiorowski's teammates Chad Patrick (+3000) and Isaac Collins (+2500) have made strides in this market, but sharing the spotlight won't earn either many first place votes. The Dodgers' Hyeseong Kim (+2500) is another contender because of his .369 batting average on 31 hits through 38 games, but the sample size is still relatively low. Kim has two homers, seven stolen bags, 12 RBI, 16 runs scored, and 19 strikeouts to five walks, so there isn't a lot of encouragement there outside the batting average. It's obvious that Misiorowski is the play. I already played Misiorowski at +1100 and -110 odds and gave those out here at NBC, so if you haven't bet on him already, you are running out of time. Get involved with Misiorowski one way or another for NL Rookie of the Year as it's his award to lose. Pick: Jacob Misiorowski to win NL Rookie of the Year (Total of 1.5 units risked) Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC. Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff: Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) Jay Croucher (@croucherJD) Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper) Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
Hindustan Times
14 hours ago
- Sport
- Hindustan Times
Mets hope July gets off to better start in rain-forced DH vs. Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers and host New York Mets will play a day-night doubleheader on Wednesday after rain forced the postponement of the series opener on Tuesday. Mets hope July gets off to better start in rain-forced DH vs. Brewers Milwaukee's Freddy Peralta and New York's Clay Holmes , Tuesday's scheduled starters, are slated to pitch the afternoon game. The evening contest will feature a pair of rookie pitchers who were second- round picks in the 2022 draft, Brewers sensation Jacob Misiorowski and Mets prospect Blade Tidwell . Holmes has faced Milwaukee 17 times, with all but one of those coming in relief. He went 1-3 with a 6.64 ERA in those games, with 22 walks in 20 1/3 innings. Peralta is perfect in three starts against the Mets, whose batters have hit just .138 off the 29-year-old right-hander. He last faced New York on Opening Day 2024, when he yielded just one hit and one run, on a solo home run by Starling Marte, while striking out eight and walking one in six innings during the Brewers' 3-1 win. While the afternoon starters have been among the best in the NL this season, the evening game may be the marquee one simply because of the buzz surrounding Misiorowski. The 6-foot-7 righty has allowed just three hits and two runs over 16 innings, with 19 strikeouts and seven walks in his first three starts. Despite the impressive performances, the Brewers plan to be careful with how they use Misiorowski. He has thrown 79 1/3 innings between the minors and Milwaukee so far this season after throwing 97 1/3 last season. Brewers manager Pat Murphy likened a young pitcher's development to training for a marathon runner. It's best done incrementally. "We just want to be smart about it, that's all," Murphy said, "like we would any other pitcher, whether they're throwing 99 or 92. You've got to take some precautions for his health and understand what he's done in the past." Tidwell also has made three major league appearances, but he has struggled. He threw the final 3 1/3 innings in a 9-1 loss at Pittsburgh on Friday, surrendering four runs on five hits and two walks with only one strikeout. The 6-foot-4 righty has yet to pitch more than 3 2/3 innings in a big-league game. Less than three weeks ago, the Mets owned the best record in the majors at 45-24. Since then, however, they have lost 13 of 16 games, the worst record in the big leagues. One player who could help the Mets rebound is Francisco Lindor. The shortstop has 16 home runs and 43 RBIs with a .258 average. However, he hit just .204 with four homers and 10 RBIs in June. His month-to-month average fell by more than 50 points for the second consecutive month. New York manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters Tuesday afternoon that Lindor has shown flashes of breaking through. "I think it's just one of those stretches where all the players go through it, and if someone knows how to get through it and come out the other side, it's Francisco," he said. Coming off a 16-9 June, the Brewers made a few roster changes early Tuesday, including the promotion of utility player Anthony Seigler from Triple-A Nashville. Signed as a minor league free agent in the offseason, the 2018 first-round pick of the New York Yankees never made it past Double-A before this season. The switch hitter was batting .277 with seven homers, 35 RBIs and 20 stolen bases for Nashville. Field Level Media This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Newsweek
6 days ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
Next Paul Skenes? Brewers Rookie Pitcher Looking Like Next Superstar Ace
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. As they do almost every season, the Milwaukee Brewers have produced another player that looks like he could be one of baseball's next young superstars. That has been the case with rookie starting pitcher Jacob Misiorowski and through his first three starts, he has impressed in a major way. MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JUNE 25: Jacob Misiorowski #32 of the Milwaukee Brewers reacts after striking out a batter in the fifth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at American Family Field on June 25, 2025 in... MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JUNE 25: Jacob Misiorowski #32 of the Milwaukee Brewers reacts after striking out a batter in the fifth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at American Family Field on June 25, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. MoreMisiorowski took the mound on Wednesday in a highly anticipated showdown against Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes, and he delivered in a big way. He went five shutout innings, allowed just two hits with two walks and strikeouts. Misiorowski outdueled Skenes and helped the Brewers knock off the Pirates by a score of 4-2. After the five shutout innings, Misiorowski now has a 3-0 record with a 1.13 ERA and 19 strikeouts across 16 innings pitched. Even more impressive than that, he's faced 56 batters and has allowed only three hits. His opponent batting average is just .030, which would easily be the best across baseball if he were a qualified pitcher. His dominance on the mound has been nothing short of amazing and has already made him one of the best young pitchers in the game. A career-high 8 strikeouts for Jacob Misiorowski! Batters are now hitting .030 against him 🤯 — MLB (@MLB) June 25, 2025 Another impressive feat from Misiorowski's young career is that after just three starts and 16 innings pitched, he is already the frontrunner for the National League Rookie of the Year award. According to ESPNBET, his +175 odds lead all players, just ahead of Drake Baldwin (+375) and Agustin Ramirez (+500). If he is able to continue his dominance and secure the award, he will become the fourth player in the last six seasons from the NL Central to win the NL ROY. Not only could his success secure him those honors, but it could also help the Brewers go on a run that leads to their fourth division title in the last five seasons. More MLB: MLB Insider Ranks Alex Bregman As Top Trade Candidate Ahead Of Deadline
New York Times
7 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
New stars appear in NBA, MLB
The Pulse Newsletter 📣 | This is The Athletic's daily sports newsletter. Sign up here to receive The Pulse directly in your inbox. Good morning! Please wish my father a happy birthday today. Happy birthday, Dad. Today we focus on two drafts, one that happened last night and one set to occur in just three weeks. Let's start with last night's first round of the NBA Draft, where saw a new star born and a bunch of other question marks take shape: The biggest flop? My New Orleans Pelicans, already in dire straits, trading next year's first-round pick unprotected to Atlanta in order to trade up for Maryland's Derik Queen at No. 13. That pick could be No. 1 next year, and they let it go for the No. 13 pick in this year's draft. Unreal stuff. See every pick here. Let's hope we see some of these guys in Las Vegas at summer league. Misiorowski outshines Skenes In one of the most anticipated pitching matchups of the MLB season, Brewers rookie Jacob Misiorowski dazzled while Pirates ace Paul Skenes faltered in a 4-2 Milwaukee win. Misiorowski struck out eight in five scoreless innings, while Skenes allowed all four runs in just four innings of work. In 16 innings pitched this year, Misiorowski has 19 strikeouts to just seven walks and two earned runs. Lord. Eno Sarris broke down why Misiorowski is so hard to hit. Advertisement Oilers jettison Kane Edmonton traded Evander Kane to Vancouver for a 2025 fourth-round pick, both teams announced yesterday, in what could set off a flurry of offseason moves for the Stanley Cup runners up. In truth, Edmonton desperately needed to get off Kane's contract and, somehow, retained none of Kane's salary in this deal. For that, the Oilers get high marks in our trade grades. More news 📫 Love The Pulse? Check out our other newsletters. We've talked tangentially about how much baseball's minor-league development system, paired with collegiate NIL funds, has altered how young players make career choices. What was once an easier decision — opting for the minors right out of high school — is now more balanced, with fewer minor-league franchises to play for and the opportunity to make legit money in college. It's easy to see the corresponding effect in the majors. Yesterday, we wrote about Chase Burns' debut in Cincinnati, which came a little over a year after he was pitching at Wake Forest. Same goes for his college teammate Rhett Lowder, Skenes, Dylan Crews, Jac Caglianone, Nick Kurtz and so on. So … who's next? Keith Law, who's written plenty on this overall theme, picked a few names from next month's MLB Draft class that could earn a major-league roster spot sooner than you think. Two that stood out to me: See the full list here, which includes two LSU Tigers. Harrumph. 📺 CWC: Juventus vs. Manchester City 3 p.m. ET on TNT/DAZN Two titans of this competition finally clash, though both are set to advance to the knockout rounds no matter the result. It should be a fantastic match, and playing on a June afternoon in Orlando will make it even harder on the players. Tune in. 📺 MLB: Braves at Mets 7:10 p.m. ET on MLB Network New York has had an abysmal stretch, but I'm most curious about Atlanta, which has the talent makeup of a title contender but has played to a frustrating standstill just below .500. Baseball season is long, but why does it already feel over for the Braves? Get tickets to games like these here. Come for the Arch Manning content, stay for Cooper and Ellen's parenting tips. Bruce Feldman scored an exclusive interview with Arch's parents, who prepared him for this exact moment. Great story. Mike Jones picked his NFL offseason winners and losers. The Raiders! The MLB trade deadline creeps ever closer. We have full buyer/seller tiers here. Fascinated to see what the Orioles do. Advertisement To drill down further: The Cubs might have the most pressure at the deadline, because the clock is ticking on Kyle Tucker. Ken Rosenthal analyzed a thorny situation. The summer transfer window is set to open July 1, and as Paul Tenorio detailed, multiple USMNT players could be on the move. Most-clicked in the newsletter yesterday: Sam Vecenie's NBA mock draft. Most-read on the website yesterday: NBA Draft live blog. Big day.
