MILWAUKEE – The 2026 World Series began with a crack of lightning, not thunder. With the very first pitch of Friday night’s Fall Classic opener, Milwaukee Brewers fireballer Jacob Misiorowski etched his name into baseball history, delivering a 103.5 mph fastball to Tampa Bay Rays leadoff hitter Yandy Díaz.
The heater, which sailed just above the strike zone, officially eclipsed the previous record for the fastest pitch ever thrown in a World Series game. The former mark of 103.2 mph was set by Chicago Cubs closer Aroldis Chapman during the ninth inning of Game 2 in 2016. While stadium video boards initially clocked Misiorowski’s offering at 103.4 mph, MLB’s Statcast system confirmed the record-shattering 103.5 mph reading moments later.
For the 24-year-old right-hander, the record is the latest milestone in a historic breakout campaign that has captivated the sport since his debut in June 2025. Misiorowski, who recorded a staggering 1,115 pitches at 100 mph or higher this regular season—shattering Jordan Hicks’ 2018 record of 673—proved he isn’t saving his best stuff for later in the game.
He leaned heavily on his signature velocity throughout the first inning, throwing 11 fastballs out of his 13 pitches. He reached triple-digit speeds on 10 of those offerings, maintaining a blistering 101.9 mph average for the frame. Despite allowing two singles, Misiorowski escaped the opening inning unscathed.
The performance effectively reset the standard for starting pitchers on baseball’s biggest stage. Prior to tonight, the fastest pitch recorded by a starter in the World Series since tracking began in 2008 belonged to the New York Mets’ Noah Syndergaard, who threw a 101.1 mph fastball to Kansas City’s Ben Zobrist in 2015. Misiorowski has now made that mark look almost pedestrian.
Known for his dominance throughout this year’s postseason, Misiorowski entered the World Series with significant momentum. During the Division and League Championship Series, he threw 96 pitches at 100 mph or faster. That run included a 104.8 mph strike against San Diego’s Fernando Tatis Jr. in the NLDS opener, which stood as the fastest postseason pitch on record until this evening.
While he has flirted with the all-time regular-season record—having thrown a 105.5 mph pitch on June 27—his performance on Friday serves as a stark reminder of the sheer physical dominance he brings to the mound. As the Brewers and Rays look to battle for the Commissioner’s Trophy, the spotlight is firmly fixed on the young right-hander, who has turned the act of throwing a baseball into a spectacle of unmatched speed.
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