World Series 2026: Jacob Misiorowski throws fastest pitch in recorded Fall Classic history at 103.5 mph

As expected, Jacob Misiorowski brought some record heat to MLB's biggest stage.

The Milwaukee Brewers' ace fired a 103.5-mph fastball to Tampa Bay Rays leadoff hitter Yandy Díaz to open the 2026 World Series on Friday. It was the fastest pitch in the recorded history of the Fall Classic, according to MLB.com's Sarah Langs . MLB's pitch tracking goes back to 2008.

The previous record-holder was then-Chicago Cubs closer Aroldis Chapman in Game 2 of the 2016 World Series.

That wasn't the only history Misiorowski made Friday. Over the next five innings, he threw 38 pitches of at least 100 mph, the most in a World Series game in the tracking era, per MLB.com's Sarah Langs . He's the only pitcher to throw at least 30 such pitches in a postseason appearance, and he has done it four times.

Beyond Chapman's high-water mark, the previous record for a starting pitcher was 101.1 mph, set by Noah Syndergaard with the New York Mets in 2015. Misiorowski threw 25 pitches faster than that in Game 1.

Misiorowski finished his night with a line of 5 innings, 4 hits, 1 run, 1 walk and 3 strikeouts on 78 pitches. Between that and four strong innings from the bullpen, the Brewers won 3-2 to take a 1-0 lead in the Fall Classic .

This season has seen Misiorowski enter the record books in multiple ways when it comes to throwing the ball hard. He still hasn't topped Chapman's overall pitch speed record of 105.9 mph, but he came 0.4 mph short in June. That was the fastest pitch ever thrown by a starting pitcher and the third-hardest overall .

It also took Misiorowski only one pitch to break the MLB postseason velocity record, as his 104.8-mph fastball to open Game 1 of the NLDS represents the new high-water mark .

As impressive as Misiorowski's fastest pitches have been, where he really stands out in history is how often he hits triple digits . He had 52 pitches faster than 100 mph in Game 1 of the NLDS, then 44 in Game 1 of the NLCS. After only five postseason appearances (three starts) in 2024 and 2025, he is already second in MLB history in 100-mph pitches thrown in the postseason .

That velocity translated to historic dominance during the regular season, so much so that Misiorowski is the presumptive Cy Young winner in the National League. However, his two starts in the postseason before Friday weren't quite up to that standard.

The 6-foot-7 right-hander didn't get past the fifth inning in either of his outings against the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers, with both teams finding ways to grind out at-bats like few clubs did against Misiorowski in the regular season. After leading MLB in whiff rate on his fastball with a ludicrous 56.3%, per Baseball Savant, Misiorowski managed only four such pitches against the Padres and five against the Dodgers.

The Brewers' World Series hopes arguably rested on him avoiding a repeat against the Rays. That worked out just fine in Game 1, even if he still got only five fastball whiffs on 25 swings.