It’s akin to the superstition of not discussing a no-hitter in progress—mentioning a starting pitcher who is performing well and remains injury-free feels like tempting fate. With numerous pitchers sidelined due to injuries this season and several star performers struggling, highlighting a successful pitcher seems precarious.
Yet, let’s take that leap. It’s essential to acknowledge the rise of Jacob Misiorowski to the elite ranks of pitchers.
While it might not seem groundbreaking to some, Misiorowski’s arsenal is among the most dominant ever seen in a starting pitcher. As he faced the Padres on Wednesday, he boasted a stellar 2.45 ERA and impressive strikeout stats. Although many may have already recognized his potential earlier in the season, it’s worth noting that just two months prior, Misiorowski was an enigma, following a rookie year with a 4.63 ERA and limited Fantasy appeal in the latter half.
However, it’s now difficult to dispute his status as a true ace. Misiorowski held the Padres scoreless over seven innings on Wednesday, marking his third consecutive scoreless start and his fourth outing in nine starts where he pitched at least six innings—a feat he achieved only three times in 14 starts last year. After struggling with control during his rookie season, he’s shown remarkable improvement, issuing two or fewer walks in four consecutive starts and six of nine overall. His strikeout prowess continues with 10 more in this game, achieving four double-digit strikeout performances this season, matching Paul Skenes’ career total after Tuesday’s showcase.
Though it’s not to say Misiorowski surpasses Skenes as a pitcher, it’s fair to argue he’s a superior strikeout pitcher. Concerns over Misiorowski’s performance seem unfounded at this juncture. While sustaining a 45%+ whiff rate on his four-seamer may be challenging, it’s possible—given it ranks among the best we’ve witnessed from a starter. His ability to maintain velocity deep into games is remarkable, with his final three pitches on the night clocking in at 102, 101.9, and 103.2 mph. This gives him 12 pitches exceeding 101 mph in the sixth inning or later, trailing only Justin Verlander in the pitch-tracking era.
Moreover, Misiorowski’s repertoire is impressive. His slider, while not a major strikeout tool, acts as a formidable cutter by suppressing contact, with nine batted balls averaging just 79.1 mph exit velocity on Wednesday. The curveball serves more as a slider for him, though his primary pitches are so effective he seldom needs it.
It’s fair to wonder how sustainable this all is, mostly from a health standpoint. Nobody has ever sustained the kind of velocity Misiorowski is routinely generating while staying healthy. But here’s the thing: He’s healthy right now. Every pitcher has a fairly high baseline level of injury risk, and I don’t think it’s especially fair to assume Misiorowski’s is significantly higher than other pitchers who are also presumably pitching at max effort, just because his max effort produces higher readings. Yeah, he’s an injury risk. So is every pitcher, as you may be aware.
I’m moving Misiorowski up to the SP6 spot in my rankings this week. In trades, I think the only pitcher I would be willing to trade Misiorowski straight up for is Skenes, but I’m not sure I’d be willing to give up any of Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Cristopher Sanchez, Chris Sale or Jacob deGrom for him, either, if that makes sense. I’m buying the performance with Misiorowski, but there’s still the open question of how this is all going to look 150 innings in. The rest of those guys might not be as good as Misiorowski right now, but they have shown they can be dominant for a full season. It’s really the only question Misiorowski has yet to answer.
