Brewers Rookie’s All-Star Nod Has Players and Writers Fuming

The Milwaukee Brewers should celebrate Jacob Misiorowski’s rise from prospect to All-Star in just five starts. Instead, they’re watching baseball media and rival players melt down over what should be one of the feel-good stories of the summer.

MLB announced Friday that the flame-throwing rookie would replace Cubs pitcher Matthew Boyd on the National League roster. It’s a well-deserved nod for a 6’7” right-hander who has shattered expectations since debuting on June 12—and yet, the outrage was instant.

Phillies players, including Trea Turner and Nick Castellanos, didn’t hold back. “That’s f—— terrible,” Turner told The Athletic. Castellanos compared the game to the Savannah Bananas. Even J.T. Realmuto chimed in with a thinly veiled shot at MLB. And for what? Because a rookie got picked while others opted out?

Let’s be real: This isn’t about Misiorowski. It’s about the All-Star Game itself—and what it’s become.

The Stats Back It Up

Misiorowski didn’t earn this selection through longevity but by shoving. In five starts, he’s posted a 2.81 ERA, 33 strikeouts in 25.2 innings, and held opposing hitters to a .138 average. His stuff is ridiculous. He averages 99.3 mph with his fastball, can hit 103, and throws the hardest slider in MLB at 94.4 mph. He already pitched six shutout innings against the Dodgers and nearly threw a perfect game against the Twins.

He’s not some flash-in-the-pan. He’s a bolt of lightning. And unlike many veterans, he wants to be there.

A Game Full of “No Thanks”

Let’s look at the landscape. Zack Wheeler opted out. So did Julio Rodríguez, José Ramírez, Alex Bregman, Jacob deGrom, and more. The All-Star Game is now the only MLB event where the words “thank you” are immediately followed by “no thank you.”

And who can blame them? The All-Star Game has become more work than fun: interviews, promos, media obligations, mic’d-up segments. For a veteran pushing for a division crown or rehabbing a minor injury, skipping it is smart.

So if everyone’s opting out, why are people mad at a rookie who says yes?

Phillies Have a Case—But Not Against Misiorowski

Phillies fans and players are frustrated that Christopher Sánchez and Ranger Suárez were passed over. Sánchez ranks fourth in NL ERA and WAR. He’s been phenomenal. But it’s not Misiorowski’s fault that MLB didn’t name Sánchez as a replacement, especially when Sánchez is starting Sunday and wouldn’t have pitched Tuesday anyway.

The All-Star selection process has always been a little messy. But blaming a 23-year-old for taking the opportunity to represent his team and embrace the honor? That’s just misplaced anger.

Misiorowski Will Actually Pitch

Unlike many opt-ins who won’t take the mound, Misiorowski is healthy, electric, and likely to throw gas on national television. That alone makes him more valuable to the All-Star spectacle than someone who would’ve sat in the dugout sipping Gatorade.

He’s not a placeholder. He’s a show. And for a game that’s clearly losing steam among stars, Misiorowski might be the type of injection MLB desperately needs.

Bottom Line

The Milwaukee Brewers developed one of baseball’s most exciting young arms—and now that arm is headed to the All-Star Game. If that bothers you, the problem isn’t the kid. It’s the game.

Veterans are bowing out. Rookies are stepping in. The All-Star Game is changing. If MLB wants to preserve its meaning, maybe the solution isn’t attacking guys like Jacob Misiorowski—but fixing the system that makes stars say no in the first place.

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