Jacob Misiorowski has been electric enough to sit atop the NL Cy Young conversation, but the Brewers may be headed toward the kind of cautious second-half plan that could knock him out of the race.
MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand thinks Milwaukee will keep a close eye on the 24-year-old right-hander’s workload after the All-Star break. That approach would make plenty of sense for the club, but it would also make Misiorowski’s path to the award much tougher.
“Jacob Misiorowski is a Cy Young favorite in the NL, but he's already thrown 104 innings, leaving him only 25 1/3 away from last season's career high," Feinsand writes. "The Brewers figure to monitor his innings during the second half, so the idea of him getting anywhere close to 200 seems far-fetched.”
That’s the crux of it. Misiorowski has already logged 104 innings, while his career high from last season is 129.1. He’ll clear that mark with plenty of season left, but Feinsand’s prediction points to Milwaukee backing off before he gets anywhere near 200.
That matters because the Cy Young race isn’t just about dominance. It’s also about volume.
Cristopher Sanchez of the Philadelphia Phillies has already made 18 starts in 2026, compared with 17 for Misiorowski. Sanchez also leads all of MLB with 117 innings, a 13-inning edge over Misiorowski that could grow if Milwaukee starts managing its ace more aggressively.
The numbers make the picture pretty clear. Misiorowski’s 1.47 ERA is the best in baseball, but Sanchez sits at 2.00 and has a real chance to keep trimming that number while piling up innings. He worked 202 innings a year ago, and if he stays healthy, he’s on track to get north of 200 again.
That’s where the Brewers’ dilemma comes in. Letting Misiorowski chase an award would be a thrill, but it would also ask him to do something he’s never done before. Milwaukee has reason to be careful, and Feinsand’s forecast suggests that caution could become a major factor in the NL Cy Young race.
For now, Misiorowski remains one of the biggest stories in the league. But if the Brewers start dialing back his workload, his award case could take a serious hit.
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