Record Set by Brewers’ Jacob Misiorowski in World Series Debut

It didn’t take long for Jacob Misiorowski of the Brewers to make his mark in his first World Series. On Friday, during Milwaukee’s 3-2 victory in Game 1, he set a record for the fastest pitch in the World Series since pitch tracking began in 2008. His very first pitch? A blistering 103.5 mph fastball aimed at Rays first baseman, Yandy Diaz.

Interestingly, while the scoreboard at American Family Field recorded it as 103.4 mph, MLB’s Statcast system clocked it at the higher speed of 103.5 mph. Diaz, by the way, let it go, calling it a ball.

This impressive pitch surpassed Aroldis Chapman’s previous record of 103.2 mph, which he threw during Game 2 of the 2016 World Series. In that instance, it ultimately led to a groundout from Cleveland’s Coco Crisp.

In the first inning, Misiorowski leaned heavily on his fastball, throwing 10 in a row and delivering 11 out of his 13 total pitches in that frame, averaging a scorching 101.9 mph. Not too shabby for a debut.

By the end of the evening, he had struck out three batters and allowed one earned run over five innings. Misiorowski, during his first full season in the league, has certainly caught attention with his remarkable speed, having thrown 1,115 pitches over 100 mph during the regular season.

His velocity has really paid off; he led the league with a 1.80 ERA and 252 strikeouts, boasting a 16-5 record across 30 starts. Even in the postseason, he hasn’t slowed down much, posting a 3.24 ERA and 11 strikeouts in just over 8 innings across two starts before Game 1.

After his earlier start this month during Game 1 of the NLCS against the Dodgers, Misiorowski discussed the pressure of starting a postseason game compared to his previous role coming out of the bullpen in 2025.

“I think it’s different just the fact that I’m starting, that nerve of actually having the whole game and it being behind me, and it’s kind of different,” he mentioned in a post-game interview with FOX Sports. “Coming out of the bullpen, you’re just thrown into a situation, it’s unknown. So this one’s a little different.”

He added, “Nerves are a little higher with the start, so nothing crazy, but that’s about it.”