Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts expressed admiration for Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski, stating that talents like him are "great for baseball." Roberts' comments came after the Dodgers' 4-1 loss to the Brewers on Saturday, where Misiorowski delivered a dominant performance.
Roberts, who also manages two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani, understands the significance of singular talents in attracting and engaging fans. He noted that Misiorowski's abilities are something "you just don't see" regularly in the sport.
"I hope that we can give Jacob as much credit and publicity as possible. He's a great kid and he's great for the game," Roberts said. "Guys like him, and obviously guys like Shohei, the game's in a great spot."
A particular highlight for Roberts was Misiorowski's first-inning confrontation with Ohtani. The rookie pitcher threw exclusively fastballs, topping 104 mph on multiple pitches during the at-bat, which concluded with Ohtani popping up to third base. "I've never seen the first [three] pitches of a game 104," Roberts remarked.
Despite the Dodgers eventually scoring in the third inning when Alex Call singled and later scored on an Ohtani triple, they struggled against Misiorowski. In the fifth inning, with the bases loaded, Misiorowski struck out Ohtani and Freddie Freeman consecutively to escape the jam. The Dodgers managed five hits and one walk against the pitcher over six innings, during which he recorded six strikeouts. Misiorowski improved his season record to 12-5, lowering his earned-run average to 1.75.
Roberts considered it a positive outcome that the Dodgers were able to force Misiorowski out of the game after six innings. "I thought we did a nice job in the sense of shortening up, competing, getting him out in the sixth inning," he said. This development meant the Brewers had to bring in left-hander Aaron Ashby for two innings of relief, potentially making him unavailable for the series finale.