Brewers' Jacob Misiorowski knows Phillies are ‘not happy' about All-Star Game nomination

New York Times

14-07-2025

ATLANTA — Jacob Misiorowski understands the reaction, particularly from the Philadelphia Phillies, after he was named to the National League All-Star team, becoming the player with the fewest starts (five) to get the nod.
'They're not happy,' the Milwaukee Brewers' flame-throwing righty said of the Phillies. 'They're not upset with me. There's nothing I did. They were all nice to me. (The) clubhouse has been good.'
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The Phillies were upset because of the belief that Ranger Suárez and Cristopher Sánchez should've been named over him, a decision both turned down.
'What a joke,' Trea Turner told The Athletic's Matt Gelb last week. 'That's f—ing terrible. I mean, that's terrible, dude.'
Nick Castellanos likened the All-Star Game to the traveling baseball rodeo show that is the Savannah Bananas.
In accepting the invite from Major League Baseball, the 23-year-old had no idea it would spark a debate over the merits of what it means to be an All-Star for a game that hasn't decided home-field advantage for the World Series since 2013.
'No,' Misiorowski said when asked whether he anticipated the kind of blowback that happened after his inclusion. 'I think it's one of those things that it's just that's the way it happened. 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.'
Scenes from ATL 💫#ThisIsMyCrew x #AllStarGame pic.twitter.com/KehcrRSkiD
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) July 14, 2025
Though Misiorowski might be the fastest to make the All-Star team, his situation isn't particularly new.
Each year, MLB announces several replacements, either due to injury or for starters who would otherwise be unable to pitch Tuesday after a Saturday or Sunday billing.
This year alone, 16 All-Stars were replaced, of which 11 were pitchers, either starters or relievers. It's been that way, and will almost assuredly stay that way, barring a major schedule adjustment or voting ending earlier.
Paul Skenes, who will start opposite Tarik Skubal in Tuesday's contest and who previously held the record for fewest starts to an All-Star Game (11), discussed the honor behind starting and not using the break for rest.
'The All-Star Game is something that I think, for myself, I was lucky enough to do it last year,' Skenes said. 'I don't imagine a scenario where I would turn down starting the All-Star Game.'
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Dave Roberts, the Los Angeles Dodgers skipper managing the NL team, including Misiorowski, offered his thoughts on the situation, saying, 'I think, obviously, there's a lot of things in baseball where we've evolved as far as rules and rosters and things like that which have needed to be; time of play, pace of play.
'When you get to the All-Star Game — things that the commissioner, the players association are still going to be digging into — I think for me, kind of my North Star is the All-Star Game should be the game's best players. It's about the fans and what the fans want to see.'
Misiorowski, who was ranked as the Brewers' No. 5 prospect by The Athletic's Keith Law, made his debut June 12, taking a no-hitter in the fifth inning. His fifth pitch of the game clocked in at 102.2 mph and stands as the hardest-thrown pitch by a Brewers starter in the pitch-tracking era (since 2008).
Nearly a month later, Misiorowski struck out 12 Dodgers over six innings. His lone blemish was a homer by Shohei Ohtani on his third pitch.
After the game, Clayton Kershaw was asked about Misiorowski, someone he acknowledged he knew very little about before the game.
'That was super impressive,' Kershaw told reporters then. 'That was unbelievable. It was really special. I mean, everything.'
Kershaw, who is an honorary All-Star this year, said he's probably not 'deserving' of the nomination either but also understood the reasoning behind naming Misiorowski.
'The Phillies had a point,' Kershaw added. 'Those guys (Sánchez and Suárez) had great seasons, but I guess they were asked, is what I understood. I don't really know the whole situation, but he is really good.
'I'm sure he'll get up there and throw really hard, and I think that's what people want to see. The All-Star Game is about doing what people want to see. There's an entertainment factor. Obviously, I think people that are deserving should get to come, and hopefully everybody that was got asked.'
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Roberts, who's managed four of the last seven All-Star Games, has seen his fair share of replacements leading up to the annual AL vs. NL matchup and said he will get Misiorowski into the game.
'So, for this young kid to be named an All-Star, I couldn't be more excited for him. He's thrilled to be here. I'm going to get him in there probably in the fifth or the sixth inning, and it's going to be electric.
'So, the fans, the media, you're going to love it. So, for me, it's an easy answer because if it brings excitement, attention to our game, then I'm all about it.'