On June 25, 2025, Milwaukee Brewers’ rookie Jacob Misiorowski delivered an electrifying outing against the Pittsburgh Pirates, standing out not only for his pitching but also for a heartfelt tribute to his father, Tom, who battles Parkinson’s disease. Misiorowski’s dominant display on the mound coincided with a noticeable slump in Paul Skenes’s pitching performance, intensifying attention on both pitchers during their high-profile matchup.
In this Brewers-Pirates game, Misiorowski’s blazing fastball, which reached a historic 102.2 mph—marking the fastest by a Milwaukee starter in the pitch-tracking era—overpowered Skenes. Beyond his physical prowess, Misiorowski wore custom cleats adorned with his father’s initials “TM” and a red tulip, the official symbol of Parkinson’s awareness, making a quiet yet profound statement on the field.
A Moving Tribute to Parkinson’s Awareness from Misiorowski
Misiorowski’s choice to wear specially designed cleats dedicated to his father, who lives with Parkinson’s disease, brought emotional depth to his performance. The cleats featured the initials “TM” along with a tulip, symbolizing support for Parkinson’s research and awareness.
“Jacob Misiorowski is pitching in custom cleats for his father Tom, who has Parkinson’s disease. The initials ‘TM’ with a tulip, the official symbol of Parkinson’s.” —Sophia Minnaert, Brewers insider
This visual tribute resonated deeply with fans and observers, highlighting how Misiorowski’s family and his father’s resilience have inspired his baseball journey. After the game, he expressed that his father’s unwavering strength amid illness shaped him into the pitcher he is today, emphasizing that this moment was an opportunity to lift the Parkinson’s cause onto a broader platform.
Pitching Duel Highlights Misiorowski’s Ascendancy Over Struggling Skenes
The game underscored a striking contrast: Misiorowski’s meteoric rise and Skenes’s faltering form. While Paul Skenes entered the game with an impressive 1.85 ERA, he struggled on the mound, conceding four earned runs and striking out only four hitters across five innings. Misiorowski, on the other hand, maintained five scoreless innings, striking out eight batters and consistently throwing above 100 mph velocity 19 times, compared to Skenes hitting triple digits once.
This dominant pitching duel marked a rare setback for Skenes, who has typically been regarded as one of the most promising young pitchers of this era. The Brewers’ 4-2 victory on Skenes’s home turf thus became a defining moment for Misiorowski’s burgeoning reputation.
Analyzing Paul Skenes’s Pitching Performance Slump
Despite a strong start to the season with a 2.12 ERA and 110 strikeouts, Skenes’s recent performance has raised concerns among fans and analysts. His inconsistency during this game amplified worries about his ongoing pitching performance slump.
Skenes’s struggles are partly linked to the wider challenges facing the Pittsburgh Pirates, who currently sit last in the NL Central division. The lack of effective team support weighs heavily on his individual performance. While Skenes leads the team with a 2.12 ERA, the next best pitcher, Bailey Falter, has a notably higher ERA of 3.59, indicating a stark contrast.
This disparity reflects the difficulties Skenes faces as a standout talent on a team that has struggled to maintain competitive pitching depth, fueling offseason rumors about his potential trade to a more supportive environment.
Team Support Amplifies Misiorowski’s Success
In contrast to Skenes’s situation, Misiorowski benefits from strong backing within the Brewers’ pitching staff. Alongside him, pitchers like Aaron Ashby, Logan Herderson, and Abner Uribe have kept ERAs below 2, reinforcing Milwaukee’s solid pitching foundation.
This collective strength eases pressure on Misiorowski, helping maintain his confidence and leading to sustained success. The organizational support contrasts sharply with the Pirates’ broader team struggles and could be a critical factor in the young pitcher’s rapid rise.
Future Outlook: Will Skenes Recover or Continue to Decline?
The juxtaposition between Misiorowski’s ascent and Skenes’s pitching performance slump sets up an intriguing narrative for the rest of the season. Misiorowski appears poised to become a defining face of pitching excellence for the Brewers, blending talent with emotional inspiration.
Meanwhile, Paul Skenes faces a crossroads where regaining form will be essential to preserving his status as a future Cy Young contender. With trade rumors and team performance factors looming, both pitcher and team uncertainty remain palpable.
As fans watch this unfolding chapter, the battle between emerging dominance and struggling potential continues to captivate the baseball world, with significant implications for both players’ careers and their franchises.