Pat Murphy coins new term for Jacob Misiorowski’s role in 2026

Much of the focus for the Milwaukee Brewers so far this offseason has been what their starting rotation will look like in 2026. From trade rumors surrounding ace Freddy Peralta, to the Brewers bringing back their longest-tenured player, Brandon Woodruff, via the qualifying offer, to Milwaukee having countless unproven options to fill out the back-end of their rotation, there are plenty of moving pieces when it comes to the Crew's starting staff next season.

Expected to be a part of that starting staff when Opening Day arrives next March is 2025 All-Star and playoff hero Jacob Misiorowski, who became an overnight superstar during his rookie campaign last season. Miz not only turned heads with his unique velocity during his 14 regular season starts in 2025, but he also displayed far better command in the majors than he had in the minor leagues, as evidenced by a walk rate that decreased from 14.4% during his final full season of minor league ball in 2024, to 11.4% since being promoted to the big leagues. It's certainly still a high rate, but that improvement is encouraging for a young star like Miz, who will turn 24 shortly after the 2026 season begins.

Given Miz's captivating performance in 2025, which continued into the postseason, it should come as no surprise that his name came up when his manager, Pat Murphy, appeared on MLB Network during the Winter Meetings on Tuesday night. MLB insider Tom Verducci inquired about Miz's role in 2026, with some speculating that he would come out of the bullpen as he did during the 2025 postseason. Murphy replied by noting that the team may occasionally use an opener for Misiorowski, but regardless he will be a "pitch-a-lot guy" in 2026. The full clip of Murphy's appearance on MLB Network is included below.

Pat Murphy refers to Jacob Misiorowski as a "pitch-a-lot guy" when asked about his role in 2026

Throughout Murphy and his predecessor's time as managers of the Brew Crew, several different nicknames have been assigned to the Brewers' pitching staff. From "out-getters" during the team's creative run of pitching decisions during the 2018 season, to the term "run prevention unit" being hammered into every Brewers fan’s psyche, Milwaukee seldom refers to their pitchers as relievers or starters.

Far better than "out-getters" or "run prevention unit" is the term "pitch-a-lot guy." Not only does it roll off the tongue, but it clearly conveys exactly what role Misiorowski will have in 2026: he will pitch a lot. While Murph's complete response did indicate that Miz will be closer to a starter than a reliever in 2026, he's also aware of the fact that a team's pitching plan at the beginning of the year rarely remains consistent throughout the entirety of the 162-game season. Just look at last year's Brewers squad who was forced to tap into their pitching depth during the first week of the season after several of their expected rotation regulars went down with injuries. Therefore, Murphy is smart not to put Misiorowski, or any of his pitchers for that matter, in a box, knowing that circumstances can change throughout the season.

As things currently stand, it's fair to assume that Peralta, Woodruff, Misiorowski, Quinn Priester, and Chad Patrick will start the Brewers' first five games of the 2026 campaign, but there's a long way to go before Milwaukee opens their season against the Chicago White Sox next March. Many things could change, but assuming health, Jacob Misiorowski will pitch a lot in 2026.