Jacob Misiorowski sets new franchise record in electrifying Opening Day debut

In an Opening Day debut that will be remembered for years, Milwaukee Brewers' starting pitcher Jacob Misiorowski showcased his electric stuff by striking out 11 Chicago White Sox batters over five innings pitched.

As a team, the Brewers struck out 20 batters, tying an MLB record for the most in a single nine-inning game and setting a new franchise high, all en route to a commanding 14-2 victory. Their pitching dominance, led by Misiorowski’s record-breaking performance, left the White Sox swinging and missing all afternoon.

Misiorowski’s electric fastball was the driving force behind his dominant outing, accounting for nine of his 11 strikeouts, with the remaining two coming via his curveball. While he didn’t quite reach the 104 MPH mark teased by the Pat McAfee Show, he still unleashed three pitches over 100 MPH and averaged 99.3 MPH on the day, generating 19 swings and misses with his fastball alone and a career-high 25 overall.

Adding to his dominant outing is the fact that Misiorowski didn’t just shine; he quickly rewrote the Opening Day record book, matching and surpassing the previous strikeout record of eight by the fourth inning and adding to his new franchise mark with two more punch-outs in the fifth inning.

Jacob Misiorowski proves doubters wrong with 11-strikeout, franchise record-breaking gem

The franchise’s Opening Day strikeout record had stood at eight since Ben Sheets set it back in 2002. Freddy Peralta tied the mark in both 2024 and 2025, but now Misiorowski stands alone at the top with 11.

A season ago, Misiorowski had two outings with double-digit strikeouts, maxing out at 12, but rising to the occasion under the bright lights of Opening Day is another sign that Misiorowski is ready to take his game to another level this year. That level involves being a consistently dominant force at the top of Milwaukee's rotation, during a year when questions loom in regard to the inexperience of the Brewers' starting staff.

Therefore, as thrilling as setting a franchise record is, yesterday must have also lifted a huge weight off Misiorowski’s shoulders. With just 15 MLB starts under his belt, and a great deal of pressure given his placement at the top of the Brewers' rotation, questions about his consistency, and even predictions that Miz would spend more time in the bullpen than in the rotation, had gathered plenty of attention in recent weeks. The young flamethrower answered all those doubts emphatically with his dominant Opening Day performance.