Remember the Brewers’ rookie sensation Jacob Misiorowski’s jaw-dropping debut a week ago? The flame-thrower lit the radar gun with a blistering 102.2 mph fastball, the fastest ever by a Milwaukee starter in the pitch-tracking era. And this time, he was tasked with a duel against this generation’s most hyped pitching talent, Paul Skenes. And guess what, Misiorowski again came out victorious.
Now, beating Skenes at the mound is something worth discussing. But in the recent Brewers-Pirates game, it wasn’t just Misiorowski’s arm that stole the show. It was his custom cleats that caught all the attention. While that was a quiet yet powerful gesture toward his father, Misiorowski surely knows how to make a statement. Both on-field and off-field.
“Jacob Misiorowski is pitching in custom cleats for his father Tom, who has Parkinson’s disease. The initials “TM” with a tulip, the official symbol of Parkinson’s,” Brewers insider, Sophia Minnaert, posted.
Jacob Misiorowski is pitching in custom cleats for his father Tom, who has Parkinson’s disease. The initials “TM” with a tulip, the official symbol of Parkinson’s. pic.twitter.com/LOKnaeDkvD
— Sophia Minnaert (@SophiaMinnaert) June 25, 2025
Jacob Misiorowski took the mound with a heartfelt tribute on his feet. Donning custom cleats with a red tulip, the symbol of Parkinson’s awareness, and Tom Misiorowski’s initials, he touched hearts. And it wasn’t just a fashion statement!
After the game, Misiorowski spoke about his father’s contribution to shaping his baseball journey. It was Tom’s strength and inspiration, even in the face of illness, that made Misiorowski what he is today. So, with the game drawing eyes from across the baseball world, the rookie felt it was the perfect moment to use his platform and shine a spotlight on Parkinson’s research and awareness. Something that we call a gesture for a larger welfare!
There’s more….
Apart from donning the custom cleats, Misiorowski outperformed Skenes in the game!
Well, you might have seen the Pirates going down this season, but how many times have you witnessed Skenes getting humbled by a rival rookie pitcher? The Brewers’ 4-2 win over the Pirates would be special in this case. While Skenes went for four earned runs with just four strikeouts and two walks, it was Misiorowski who struck out eight batters over five scoreless innings.
Misiorowski went ahead of Skenes. The game witnessed Jacob Misiorowski hitting above 100 mph 19 times. In contrast, Skenes hit triple digits just once! Now, that’s called sheer dominance at the mound.
Misiorowski’s rise highlights Skenes’ ongoing slump
A pitcher with a 2.12 ERA and 110 SOs till now this year seems like spitting fire from the mound. But that’s not the scene when it comes to Paul Skenes. He entered the Wednesday game against the Brewers with a 1.85 ERA, but couldn’t sustain it.
Hence, while the game showed the rise of another Cy Young-worthy pitcher, Skenes’s slump is getting concerning.
Skenes was known for his unreal consistency on the mound, which is now looking shaky. So, who to blame here? A lack of support around him might be a compelling narrative. Currently, the Pirates sit dead last in the NL Central, and Skenes is looking like a prized piece caught in the wreckage.
Talking about the lack of support for Skenes, the Pirates’ team ERA stands at 3.86, approximately double what Skenes has. And while Skenes is currently standing with a 2.12 ERA, the best in the team, the second-best is coming from Bailey Falter with a 3.59 ERA! Check that gap! Probably that sums up the difference between Skenes and the rest of the Pirates team.
Meanwhile, Misiorowski got support from his team. Apart from his impressive ERA, the team has Aaron Ashby, Logan Herderson, and Abner Uribe, who all have ERAs below 2.
It all points to the same old story of Paul Skenes’s trade from the Pirates. But until that happens, all fans can hope for is a better turnaround for both Skenes and the Pirates.
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