The Milwaukee Brewers just ended a familiar cycle of dominance: three consecutive years at the top of the NL Central. A remarkable achievement, but one that makes any upcoming changes even more frightening. Because entering 2026, for the first time in many years, the Brewers will no longer feel in control of the game.
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The Chicago Cubs, however, do.
The Cubs entered the winter with a decisive attitude, recruiting and adjusting in the manner of a team tired of being on the sidelines. On paper, they looked like the number one contender to dethrone Milwaukee. And at that very moment, the Brewers removed their most crucial piece of the puzzle.
Freddy Peralta left.
Trading Peralta and Tobias Myers to the Mets for Jett Williams and Brandon Sproat might have made sense in the long term. But in the short term, it was a direct blow to rotation. Peralta wasn’t just an ace in name. He leads the team in strikeouts, ERA, wins, innings, appearances, and WHIP. In other words, he’s the pivot that the entire staff relies on.
Without Peralta, the Brewers have no “safe” option.
And that’s when Jacob Misiorowski is thrust into the spotlight.
Misiorowski isn’t a new name. He’s already shown the weapon that makes every opponent wary: insane velocity, lightning-fast ball speed, and almost reckless confidence. His rookie season wasn’t perfect. 66 MLB innings with many off-beat moments, many predictable plays. But in his best moments, Misiorowski made people believe he could become something big.
Now, that belief isn’t an option. It’s a requirement.
Thomas Harrigan of MLB.com says what the Brewers don’t: the responsibility has shifted to Misiorowski. Without Peralta shielding the front, there’s no more time for “getting acquainted.” Milwaukee needs him not just as an exciting arm, but as one of the two rotation pillars alongside Brandon Woodruff.
Putting that pressure on a 23-year-old pitcher with less than 70 MLB innings is a clear gamble. But the Brewers seem to have no other choice. They’re not rushing to the market to buy an ace. They’re not patching things up with temporary solutions. They choose to believe that internal development—the very thing that has helped them dominate the NL Central for years—will continue to save them this time.
Misiorowski has everything to give the Brewers reason to be optimistic. His stuff isn’t something that can be taught quickly. Velocity, movement, the ability to unbalance hitters—all are fundamental. What he lacks is consistency, which only comes through experience and failure. And the Brewers are betting that the 2026 season will be that leap, not a costly year of learning.
The truth is, the Brewers don’t need Misiorowski to become Peralta immediately. But they need him not to crumble. They need him to keep the team in the race when the Cubs are accelerating. They need him to prove that the decision to sell the ace wasn’t a step backward.
Three consecutive NL Central championships created expectations. But also pressure. And this season, that pressure is on a young, fast shooter who has never had to shoulder such heavy responsibility.
The question is no longer whether Misiorowski is talented. It’s whether he’s ready to be the player the Brewers need, not just the player they hope he will be.
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