Nobody got in the way of Jacob Misiorowski’s Cy Young run.
The Milwaukee Brewers ace wrapped up a monster 2026 season Wednesday by taking home the NL Cy Young Award in unanimous fashion. Misiorowski became the 24th pitcher ever to win the award without a split vote, with Cristopher Sánchez finishing a clear second and Chris Sale third.
What Misiorowski put together this year wasn’t just a strong season - it was a full-on takeover. Over 30 starts, he led the majors in ERA at 1.80, strikeouts with 252, K/9 at 13.0 and FIP at 2.17, while piling up 16 wins and a record-setting shutout. His 0.80 WHIP and .157 opponents’ average were the lowest by any pitcher with at least 150 innings since Pedro Martínez in 2000, when Martínez set the single-season WHIP record.
The numbers put Misiorowski in some rare company. He became just the fourth pitcher since 1950 to lead MLB in opponents’ average, ERA and strikeouts in the same season. He also joined a tiny club of pitchers since 1913 to post at least 250 strikeouts with an ERA of 1.80 or lower, according to Stathead.
The stuff was just as loud as the results. Misiorowski’s fastball averaged 100.6 mph, and he threw 1,115 pitches at triple-digit velocity in 2026 - the most in a single season in the pitch-tracking era since 2008, and 442 more than the previous mark. Of his four main pitches, only the curveball averaged below 90 mph at 88 mph.
He wasn’t just overpowering hitters with velocity, either. Misiorowski trimmed his walk rate from 11.4% as a rookie to 6.6%, and he limited home runs to 14 across 174 2/3 innings after giving up eight in 66 innings last year.
Misiorowski and AL winner Cam Schlittler also made a little history of their own, becoming the third pair of pitchers to win unanimous Cy Young Awards in the same season. The other duos were Denny McLain and Bob Gibson in 1968, and Sandy Alcantara and Justin Verlander in 2022.
In Other News...
Trevor Megill Came Closer Than Brewers Fans Realize To New MLB Honor
Trevor Megill was in the mix for a new piece of leaguewide recognition that only just arrived on the awards calendar, as the Baseball Writers Association of America handed out its first Reliever of the Year honors for both leagues. Mason Miller of the Padres took the National League award, while Louis Varland of the Blue Jays won in the American League, with BBWAA members voting on regular-season performance to determine the top relief arms.
For Brewers fans, the notable part is how close Megill was to joining that conversation. The Milwaukee closer finished behind Miller in the NL race, a reminder that his season put him squarely among the leagues elite late-inning options even if the new hardware ended up elsewhere. [Read more 🡒]
Brewers Rotation Success Just Changed A Big Winter Decision
Milwaukees 2026 rotation was supposed to be one of the most inexperienced in baseball, yet it ended up driving a World Series-winning season. A group built around rookies and young arms held up far better than expected, finishing second in the National League with a 3.61 ERA and third in MLB with 907 strikeouts, and most of those pitchers are under contract for the foreseeable future.
That kind of performance changes the way a winter is supposed to look. Instead of treating the rotation as a glaring need, the Brewers can lean into continuity and shop more selectively, with a mid-tier swingman type fitting the profile better than a splashy overhaul. There is still at least one familiar name who could re-enter the conversation, but any reunion would have to make sense for both sides given the uncertainty that comes with his health. [Read more 🡒]
Jacob Misiorowski Had A Grateful Message After His Latest Brewers Milestone
Jacob Misiorowskis rise reached another level after a dominant 2026 season that put him at the center of the Brewers success. The right-hander, who finished with a 1.80 ERA and 252 strikeouts, added a World Series ring and a second All-Star selection to a year that already felt like a breakthrough, and he recently appeared on MLB Network to reflect on how far he has come.
Misiorowski used the moment to thank the people around him, pointing to the support of his family and agent as a big part of the journey. He also shared a few personal highlights from life since the season ended, a reminder that the Brewers newest star is still taking in everything that has happened even as his profile keeps climbing. [Read more 🡒]