ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Milwaukee Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski was forced out of Game 5 of the World Series on Wednesday night due to a right calf cramp, but his dominant performance paved the way for the franchise to secure its first championship in history.
Misiorowski exited with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning after delivering 86 pitches at Tropicana Field. The Brewers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 4-1 to win the Fall Classic four games to one, snapping a 57-year title drought for the organization.
Dominance on the Mound Despite Setbacks
The 24-year-old right-hander shut down Tampa Bay over 5 ⅔ scoreless innings, surrendering only two hits and a single walk while striking out two batters. Misiorowski worked through mound difficulties from the very first inning, repeatedly having the grounds crew repair his landing spot after he slipped during his follow-through, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.
Misiorowski leaned on a heavy fastball, hitting at least 100.9 mph on his first 11 pitches and topping out at 103 mph, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Rather than solely chasing strikeouts, he consistently pitched to contact to keep his pitch count manageable following a taxing 12-inning loss for Milwaukee in Game 4.
After retiring Junior Caminero on a fly ball for the second out in the sixth, Misiorowski experienced cramping in his right leg. Manager Pat Murphy, pitching coach Chris Hook and head athletic trainer Brad Epstein convened on the mound, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. Misiorowski attempted a single warm-up toss before walking off to the dugout, leaving with a 4-0 lead.
“He had an incredible year for us. It isn’t easy for a young kid with that much expectation,” Murphy said, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “He maintained that 100 through all 5 ⅔ pretty much, and he hadn’t done that lately. He was focused beyond belief. He knew the responsibility. He knew the standard we set.”
History of Leg Cramps
Cramping issues in his right leg have interrupted Misiorowski’s outings in the past. According to USA TODAY Sports, he previously exited three regular-season starts due to leg cramps: a June 2025 appearance against St. Louis due to calf and quadriceps cramps, a May 1 start against Washington following 5 ⅓ hitless frames due to a hamstring cramp, and a May 13 outing against San Diego after seven shutout innings due to a quad cramp.
Reliever JoJo Romero entered to record the final out of the sixth inning on Wednesday. Abner Uribe and Trevor Megill closed out the remaining innings from the bullpen to finish off the victory.
Milestones and Celebration
By capturing the win in Game 5 alongside his victory in Game 1, Misiorowski became the 11th starting pitcher under age 25 to record multiple wins in a single World Series, and the first since Liván Hernández accomplished the feat with the Florida Marlins in 1997, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He closed his postseason with a 1.89 ERA over 19 innings.
The right-hander, who posted a 16-5 record with a 1.80 ERA and 252 strikeouts during the regular season, is the widely regarded favorite for the National League Cy Young Award, which will be announced in November.
Following the final out, Misiorowski celebrated the historic title with teammates and expressed gratitude for Milwaukee’s fan base.
“They’ve been nothing but support this whole year and years prior, it’s been amazing,” Misiorowski told Fox’s postgame broadcast, according to the New York Post. “Dammit, I’m getting emotional. … We’ve been talking this whole week, expecting this moment — it’s amazing.”
