Jacob Misiorowski Allowed Five Runs but His ERA Still Hangs With Pedro and Clemens

The box score looked rough. Five runs allowed over five innings, two homers, and a defense that didn’t exactly help. But Jacob Misiorowski walked off the mound Thursday with an ERA that still sits at 1.47 through 17 starts. That number puts him on a short list that includes Pedro Martinez, Roger Clemens, and Trevor Rogers.

MLB researcher Sarah Langs posted the stat after the Brewers’ 6-3 loss to the Reds at Great American Ball Park. Of all qualified starters in the last 50 years, only three pitchers have posted a lower ERA through their first 17 starts of a season: Trevor Rogers (1.35 in 2025), Pedro Martinez (1.38 in 2000), and Roger Clemens (1.41 in 2005). Misiorowski’s 1.47 sits fourth. That’s not bad company for a 24-year-old righty with 96 starts on his big league resume.

Defense bailed him out on paper but not on the scoreboard

The Brewers committed two errors behind him Thursday, and if you strip those out, Misiorowski only allowed one earned run. But the Reds still crossed home plate five times, and Cincinnati tagged him for two home runs. It wasn’t the sharpest outing he’s had this season, not by a long shot. The command wavered a bit, and the Reds made him pay for mistakes in the zone.

But the broader picture hasn’t changed. Misiorowski has been the most consistent starter on a Brewers team that’s trying to hold off the Cubs and Cardinals in what’s shaping up to be a tight NL Central race. He’s given Milwaukee 108 innings of work that looks more like an ace than a developing arm.

Still in the Cy Young conversation whether you like it or not

You can’t put up numbers like that for four months and not get national attention. Misiorowski is firmly in the NL Cy Young mix, and a start like Thursday doesn’t knock him out of it. The voters look at ERA, innings, strikeouts, and overall dominance. He’s got all of it. Even with a messy line, he’s still sitting on a 1.47 ERA and a WHIP below 1.00.

The Brewers need him to keep that up. Especially with October on the horizon and the rotation needing a clear frontline starter. Misiorowski has been that guy all season, and one shaky afternoon against a division rival doesn’t change what he’s done.

For now, the Reds get the win. But Misiorowski’s name stuck next to Pedro and Clemens on Langs’ list. That’s the kind of company that makes a season worth watching.