Bold opening: Misiorowski isn’t just entering a season—he’s stepping into a proving ground where the spotlight will test both his ceiling and his consistency. And this is the part that many readers overlook: his second year isn’t a repeat of his dramatic debut; it’s the critical phase where sustained growth either confirms him as a franchise cornerstone or exposes the limits of the early hype.
Three questions for Jacob Misiorowski in season two
Can he build on a dazzling first season?
Misiorowski opened with extraordinary hype, delivering one of the Brewers’ most talked-about debuts in recent memory. His rookie arc began with 11 consecutive no-hit innings and carried a perfect game into the seventh inning of his season starter. Those moments helped him earn an All-Star berth after only five big-league outings. Yet as the year progressed, he faced reality: a left tibia contusion briefly sidelined him, and his performance cooled. He finished strong, though, contributing to a postseason run that put him back in the limelight.
That sets a lofty baseline for season two and makes it tricky to set expectations. Early projections remain encouraging. ZiPS estimates 26 appearances for roughly 116 2/3 innings, with a 3.86 ERA, 3.80 FIP, 10.93 K/9, and 3.93 BB/9. If you compare, the inning total would dip from his rookie workload, while strikeouts might ease slightly and the walk rate could improve. This aligns with his minor-league track record, which shows small reductions in strikeouts alongside fewer walks.
Fans should temper sky-high expectations. Another All-Star year for Misiorowski is unlikely, and it’s fair to wonder if he’ll dominate the Brewers’ rotation as decisively as last year. A season marked by incremental improvements in key metrics could still be a win—proof that he’s continuing to grow year over year—even if it lacks the instant wow factor. On the other hand, maintaining a high level of electric impact and establishing himself as a top-tier pitcher would keep the excitement alive and set a strong long-term trajectory.
How will the innings jump be managed?
Increases in workload aren’t dictated by hard caps for pitchers, but they’re a central consideration as Misiorowski develops. He already saw a notable jump from 2024 to 2025: 97 1/3 innings in 2024 versus 141 1/3 across regular season and postseason in 2025—a roughly 45% rise. Typical plans often aim for 20–25% bumps, though that’s not a universal rule; decisions hinge on how the pitcher handles the stress and how the team intends to manage workload.
After a brief August IL stint, Misiorowski struggled in his first six starts post-recovery, posting a 6.41 ERA and 4.00 FIP. He recovered later, shining in the final two regular-season starts and then carrying that momentum into the postseason, where he allowed just two earned runs over three appearances (12 innings).
It’s unlikely the Brewers will replicate a 45% innings jump in 2026. Most early forecasts project a more modest increase: ZiPS at about 116 2/3 innings, with other projections ranging from roughly 134 to 139 innings and about 30–32 appearances. Some models even anticipate a portion of the year with 24–25 starts, which could reflect Brewers’ willingness to open-roll openers or to use Misiorowski as a bullpen option for strategic innings management. That said, a full season as a traditional starter remains a real possibility.
A key nuance is whether the increased workload will take a toll. He has had an offseason to recover, but the prior year’s jump was substantial. Will he come into 2026 fully rested and able to sustain a similar level of innings?
How do past Brewers second seasons inform expectations?
This isn’t a simple comparison, because several Brewers stars have followed different post-rookie paths. Still, the franchise has built a credible track record that provides useful benchmarks. Here’s a snapshot of notable recent examples:
- Brandon Woodruff: Debuted in 2017 and, after a 2018 season with heavy bullpen use and sporadic starts, found a stable, productive form that helped him anchor the rotation. 2017: 43 IP in 8 games (all starts); 2018: 42 1/3 IP in 19 games (4 starts).
- Freddy Peralta: Burst onto the scene in 2018 with a mix of starts and bullpen duty, then spent 2019 transitioning to a bullpen-heavy role before establishing himself as a rotation mainstay.
- Corbin Burnes: Early promise out of the bullpen, a difficult sophomore season as a starter, then a return to form and continued growth in subsequent years.
- Aaron Ashby: Debuted in 2021, moved between roles before settling into a rotation slot; despite injury setbacks, the organization extended trust with a multi-year contract, underscoring the belief in his upside.
For Misiorowski, the takeaway from these examples is mixed but hopeful. The Brewers have shown they can shepherd a young pitcher through the rough patches of year two, and their continued emphasis on development bodes well for his trajectory.
So, how will Misiorowski fare in year two? Given the Brewers’ recent history, there’s room for further growth, even if the path isn’t as spectacular as his debut. Tuesday marks the start of another chapter—here’s hoping it becomes a compelling continuation of a promising Brewers story.
