Jacob Misiorowski, the National League Cy Young favorite, is officially on the mound for Game 1 of the World Series for the Milwaukee Brewers this Friday, and honestly, you gotta be wondering what version of him we’re gonna see. This dude had a historic regular season, no doubt, leading all of baseball with a crazy 1.80 ERA and racking up a ridiculous 252 strikeouts. He was *that* guy. But here’s the thing: the postseason has been a completely different story.
The Postseason Riddle: Where Did The Ace Go?
It’s been tough sledding for Misiorowski in the playoffs so far. He hasn’t even completed five innings in either of his starts, and that’s not what you want from your ace when the stakes are this high. We’re talking 88 pitches in just four innings back in Game 1 of the NLDS, and then 94 pitches for a meager 4 ⅓ innings in Game 1 of the NLCS. Those high pitch counts mean short outings, and short outings mean putting extra pressure on your bullpen way too early. It’s a head-scratcher because he hasn’t exactly been getting shelled, and his fastball velocity is still absolutely filthy, clocking in at 101.0 mph in the postseason compared to 100.6 mph in the regular season. So what’s up?
The Fastball Mystery: It’s All About That IVB
Okay, so his fastball is still blazing, but something crucial *is* missing. The deep dive into the numbers shows Misiorowski isn’t getting nearly as many swings and misses with that heater, and it all boils down to induced vertical break, or IVB. That’s the “life” on the pitch that makes it look like it’s rising up in the zone. In the regular season, his IVB was 14.7 inches. In the postseason? It’s dropped to 13.4 inches. For context, the MLB average is 15.5 inches. That drop, even if it sounds small, is huge. It’s the difference between a 40.2% swing-and-miss rate in the regular season and a pathetic 16.1% in the postseason. Meanwhile, his foul rate has skyrocketed from 38.9% to a baffling 67.9%! This guy usually makes up for his generally below-average IVB with sheer velocity and his insane 7.6 feet of extension down the mound, thanks to being 6-foot-7. He throws harder and releases the ball closer to the plate than pretty much everyone else. But that 1.3-inch difference in IVB? It’s turning would-be swings-and-misses into foul balls, inflating pitch counts, and cutting his starts short. Why is it happening? Could be fatigue, but his velocity doesn’t show it. Could be mechanical, or maybe he’s just overthrowing because, well, it’s the playoffs and the pressure is real.
Game 1 on Friday marks Misiorowski’s first start in 11 days. You gotta believe he and the Brewers coaching staff have been working their tails off during that layoff to figure this out and fix it. They probably had him throwing an extended bullpen or even live batting practice to stay stretched out and sharp, all while tweaking his mechanics. This isn’t just another game, it’s Game 1 of the World Series against the American League champion Tampa Bay Rays, who have their ace Drew Rasmussen lined up. Misiorowski needs to find that regular season magic again, and fast, because the whole damn series could hinge on it.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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