MLB WORLD SERIES: RAYS VS BREWERS

October 22, 2026

Jacob Misiorowski

American Family Field

Milwaukee Brewers

Workout Day Press Conference

Q. A few weeks ago I asked you about your role model for young Brewers fans. Can you speak of the significance of we're here at the World Series, and for so many fans, especially the younger ones, they're growing up with this expectation of winning baseball where for a generation before, that wasn't the case.

JACOB MISIOROWSKI: I was blessed as a kid as well with the Royals and their run they had for a while there. For me, like it's really cool to be that role model for a city and a state for all that matter.

It's cool that we have an opportunity to build up the next generation and show them what baseball really looks like.

Q. You might have answered this a little bit, but just growing up, what is your favorite World Series memory that sticks out? If there's a particular game or moment or anything like that.

JACOB MISIOROWSKI: It wasn't even a World Series. It was the Wild Card game against the A's the Royals had when Salvy hit the walkoff down the third base line. I still can replay it in my mind. That was one of the moments that stuck with me as postseason baseball. That was really cool.

Q. You're regarded as one of the top young players and public and people look to you, and looming over all of these games are the possibility of a lockout and a work stoppage. As you look forward, is sitting out a year or two important to preserve the current salary structure for you and the other players?

JACOB MISIOROWSKI: Honestly, my thought with it all is keep building on the former generations and build on what they gave us. You don't want to be the generation to send something backwards. You just keep building on what former generations have given you and hope for the best.

Q. Do you realize this could cost you a considerable part of your prime years?

JACOB MISIOROWSKI: Yeah, but right now all I'm thinking about is Game 1. For me, this is the spot we want to be in, and we're lucky enough to be here and have the opportunity with everything that might happen or could happen. So for right now, I could care less about all that stuff.

Q. In the last week or so as you've analyzed your first two postseason starts, without giving away a game plan for Game 1, what have you learned about the way that these two great offenses, great lineups approached you and what might have to change or what doesn't change going into the Rays?

JACOB MISIOROWSKI: I don't think there's much at all that needs to change. Obviously the Padres and Dodgers both had a good approach of just fouling stuff off. I bet Tampa Bay is going to do pretty much the same thing.

So I think I've just got to stick to my strengths and pound the zone.

Q. I don't know if you saw it or not, after the win in Los Angeles the other night, I interviewed a young fan with cerebral palsy, literally cannot walk, and he was overcome with joy. I said who are your favorite players? And he said Jackson Chourio and the Miz. I'm just wondering, whether you've seen it or not, do you give yourself time to think about the effect you have on these fans and the joy you bring to a young 13-year-old kid who can't play the game ever but is so happy for you that you're going to the World Series?

JACOB MISIOROWSKI: Yeah, I did, I saw the video. It's honestly incredible just having that effect on people. No, I really don't have words for it.

Q. That's okay. I didn't either.

JACOB MISIOROWSKI: It's cool, though. I don't really know how to answer that one. It's an honor to be in that spot, in that situation, to have that effect on a fan and someone of -- you know, just anyone. It's cool. It's really cool.

Q. You must be so excited to start Game 1 of the World Series and everyone knows how big of a Pokemon fan you are. What Pokemon energy are you bringing to the mound in Game 1?

JACOB MISIOROWSKI: Definitely flame. Definitely the flame energy. What's Charizard's signature move? Fireball. Bring some fireball. I'm going to be ready.

Q. You faced the Rays in that series here, the second series of the season, their lineup has changed a little bit. What or who do you see as the biggest challenges in that lineup as you've done your research for this start?

JACOB MISIOROWSKI: Honestly, it's the normal suspects. You've got Diaz, Caminero, and Simpson. All those guys -- there's obviously more to go in that lineup, but those are the big three that everyone talks about, and those are the guys you have to look after.

Obviously I believe Diaz got me earlier in the year. You know, change a little bit, don't change much. If he hits another one, congrats. It's baseball.

Q. Can you talk about your relationship with Logan Henderson, what it's been like to be teammates with him in the minors and you guys leading the rotation this year?

JACOB MISIOROWSKI: It's wild. It's wild that we're in our second year, and being 1, 2 for the team, it's incredible. Hendy's been an absolute legend through the minors, and he's amazing. What a wonderful guy he is. There's a lot to be said about him.

No, it's cool to see the growth that he's had with all of his pitches, especially that change-up. It's really cool to build off that.

Q. When you think about these last two playoff outings, where your stuff has been, where the execution is, where you feel physically, how would you assess where you were at in those couple of outings?

JACOB MISIOROWSKI: Yeah, I feel good. I feel like the first one might have been a little under what I expected, but the second one was pretty much right where I wanted to be.

I think I finally figured it out in Game 2 of not getting off my end goal and doing what I need to do to succeed and not trying to play their game. So I think I need to do more of that.

Q. When you look at people say, oh, he's a thrower, not a pitcher, and vice versa -- you've heard all the cliches from someone with your velo -- how would you describe your development from Crowder to coming into the organization to where you are now?

JACOB MISIOROWSKI: I definitely was a thrower. In college, high school, all that, that was the goal, to throw as hard as you can. With the guys here and everyone in the pitching lab, they've really helped me go the whole way and take that extra step and be a pitcher, not just a thrower.

I joke around saying middle-middle and pray, but that is a big key for me in the fact of just not walking guys. Make guys respect me and respect me in the zone is definitely huge for my improvement.

Q. Brandon Woodruff has talked so much about your work ethic. I'm wondering if you could kind of reverse it. What have you seen out of him trying to get to this point? Would it be a big boost in that room if he was on the roster? What can you say about Brandon?

JACOB MISIOROWSKI: Big Woo is an awesome human being. He's in there every day working. At the beginning it was unknown what was going to happen, it was tough to watch. You still see this dude day in and day out doing his thing, trying to get back. It's really cool to have a guy like that just grinding and pushing so hard to have a chance at being with us. So it's amazing.

Q. Jake, 1982, before your time, Mike Caldwell started Game 1 of the World Series for the Brewers. Tomorrow night you will be the second guy in franchise history to start Game 1 of a World Series. Have you allowed yourself to just think what it means to start a World Series like that?

JACOB MISIOROWSKI: No (laughter). It's just another game. It's honestly an honor to be in that situation and be able to go out and try and propel the team to a win.

No, it's awesome. It's awesome to be considered as a Game 1 starter. Can't look too deep into it right now. Off-season, then we can start thinking about it.

Q. I wanted to ask you, you grew up a Kansas City Royals fan. I assume you were watching with close attention in 2014 and 2015 when they went to the World Series back-to-back years. Does this Brewers team remind you at all of those teams from the mid-2010s with how they reinvented the way teams were trying to find success in the league?

JACOB MISIOROWSKI: Yeah, of course. Pretty similar in ideas. It's cool that you don't have to be the team to hit 170 home runs a game or whatever. You can win a baseball game so many different ways. I think that's also the caveat of baseball is there's no one way to win a baseball game. You can win it by stealing three bags. You can win it by hitting one home run. It's all different.

Q. Pat Murphy famously gives out nicknames for his players. I'm curious to know what your nickname is. On a more serious note, how he's allowed you to grow and mature as a player and a person.

JACOB MISIOROWSKI: Yeah, as he was walking out, he called me Forrest Gump. That's a pretty common one he's been giving me. No, I mean, it's funny.

Yeah, he's been awesome. Obviously second year in the league, so I'm still fresh to all of this, and I have no idea what the hell is going on. If I ever have any questions, that's the first guy I'm going to ask anything. He doesn't care. He might give me a stupid answer, and I might give a stupid question. So it's a back-and-forth, and it's a lot of fun.