Milwaukee Brewers rookie Jacob Misiorowski didn't anticipate the blowback, but he understands why some are unhappy over his selection as an All-Star Game replacement after just five starts in the major leagues.
"I think it's one of those things that it's just that's the way it happened," Misiorowski told reporters Monday, one day ahead of the All-Star Game in Atlanta. "It's not really anything I've done, and I'm not going to say no to MLB about coming to the game, so it just is what it is."
Misiorowski broke Paul Skenes' record for the quickest trip from big-league debut to All-Star debut -- 11 games, set last year -- when he was named a replacement for Chicago Cubs pitcher Matthew Boyd on the National League roster.
The flame-throwing right-hander debuted June 12 and is 4-1 with a 2.81 ERA and 33 strikeouts over 25 2/3 innings.
His selection over more established starting pitchers ruffled some feathers, namely on the Philadelphia Phillies, who have a case for both Ranger Suarez (7-3, 1.94) and Cristopher Sanchez (8-2, 2.50) to have been picked. Nick Castellanos likened MLB to the Savannah Bananas exhibition team, and Trea Turner dropped an expletive while calling the decision "terrible" and a joke.
"They're not happy," Misiorowski said. "They're not upset with me. There's nothing I did."
He went on to add that the Phillies players inside the National League clubhouse this week have been "all nice to (him)."
Skenes, for a comparison, made his MLB debut on May 11, 2024 and struck out 11 in six no-hit innings in his second career start. He was 6-0 with a 1.90 ERA when he was selected for the NL team and eventually named the starter.
Skenes will start on the bump for the NL for the second year in a row.
--Field Level Media
