Jacob Misiorowski is having a season that makes last year’s All-Star selection drama look almost silly. Almost.
The Milwaukee Brewers right-hander currently leads MLB with a 1.47 ERA and 156 strikeouts. He’s 9-4. He threw 15 strikeouts in a single game against the Philadelphia Phillies on June 12, giving up just one hit. And yet, when the All-Star Game was announced, the conversation wasn’t just about how good he is. It was about whether he’d even pitch.
According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, Phillies pitcher Ranger Suárez is expected to get the start for the National League. That part actually makes sense. The game is in Philadelphia. Suárez has been excellent this year too. But the real story is what happened last year, when Misiorowski made the All-Star team after just five big league starts and Philly fans — along with some players — were openly pissed that their guy got left off.
Misiorowski remembers it well.
“I think they were more mad at MLB than me last year,” he said. “But now, at least I can say, ‘See, there wasn’t a mistake.’”
Selfish vs. smart
Misiorowski wants to pitch in the game. He said so himself. But he’s also honest about the math — he’s scheduled to make two starts right before the break, and throwing an All-Star inning in between might not be the smartest move for a guy his team needs down the stretch.
“I would love to pitch in the game,” Misiorowski says. “Especially if I somehow got the start. But, you know, do I think that’s the best for the team? No. But selfishly, sure, I want to throw.”
Rainouts could change things. If one of those starts gets postponed, he might have enough rest to make a brief appearance. The Brewers haven’t said anything official about holding him out. So it’s still up in the air.
No hard feelings this time
Last year, the Phillies had a real gripe. Suárez had a 1.75 ERA at the break, and Misiorowski had barely been up long enough to earn the nod. This year, there’s no argument. Misiorowski is arguably the best pitcher in the National League right now. The Phillies might not love that he’s the one starting opposite their guy, but they can’t claim he doesn’t belong.
Misiorowski seems to get the irony. He even said he thinks Suárez deserves the start, especially with it being in Philadelphia. “It’d be cool for him to start in front of his home fans.”
So the drama from last year is basically dead. The only question left is whether the game itself will actually feature the guy who made it unforgettable the first time around.
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