Brewers’ Misiorowski, Murphy talk about pitching in win over Pirates
Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski and manager Pat Murphy talk about Misiorowski’s pitching performance in a 4-2 victory over the Pirates.
MIAMI – The plan was hatched in the offseason and put into practice in spring training.
Now, nearly four months later, Freddy Peralta is reaping the rewards of the decision to pair his trademark fastball with his changeup rather than his slider – a move that’s helped lead to a career first half for the right-hander, and now his second all-star nod.
Peralta, 29, learned prior to the Milwaukee Brewers’ series finale against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park that he’d be representing his team for the National League in the All-Star Game in Atlanta on July 15 after a speech given by manager Pat Murphy.
“It’s a great feeling, and I’m very happy about the news,” said Peralta. “It was a great feeling when he was speaking because it reminded me of when I was 21 years old.”
Said manager Pat Murphy: “He’s taking the ball each and every time. He’s competing each and every time. He’s given us a chance, and he’s done it for years. He continues to just keep making adjustments every year to get a little bit better.
“He’s a little bit better than he’s ever been, and this is his second All-Star Game, and he really deserves this one.”
Peralta, of course, broke into the major leagues at age 22 with that memorable Mother’s Day fill-in start at Coors Field, developed his repertoire considerably since and now holds the title of Milwaukee’s No. 1 starter.
Through 18 starts this season, Peralta sports a 9-4 record (nine wins is tied for most in the NL), 2.91 ERA (ninth) and WHIP of 1.09 (10th) with 104 strikeouts (15th) in 99 innings.
He remains “Fastball Freddy” with a four-seamer that’s averaging a career-best 94.9 mph and is being thrown 57.6% of the time, most since 2020.
But now he’s most often pairing it with his changeup (20.3%) and curveball (13.5%) rather than his slider (8.6%). A year ago, it was fastball (53.8%)-slider (21.6%)-changeup (17.5%)-curveball (7.1%).
Peralta came to the decision in the offseason after input from pitching coach Chris Hook, senior special assistant to the general manager Carlos Villanueva and William Contreras.
“I think understanding how good my fastball is and just combining that with the changeup I think has been the best idea that we took,” he said. “We all decided together that the combination of the fastball and the changeup was a really good idea, and we had nothing to lose if we put it in practice.
“And that’s what we’ve been doing. I’m not going to lie – some games we have to do otherwise and use more breaking balls. It basically depends how everything is going and just making adjustments.”
Peralta’s best outing to date this season was his eight-inning, one-run, eight-strikeout gem against the Kansas City Royals on April 2, and he’s logged seven quality starts in all while going at least five in all but one.
“I think being able to take the ball every five days and feel good,” Peralta said when asked what he was most proud of. “I remember back in my fourth, fifth game my groin wasn’t feeling good and I got through that.
“The adjustments that William and me have been making together are something very special, the relationship that we’ve built.”
Peralta’s first career all-star nod came in 2021, when he was part of the Corbin Burnes-Brandon Woodruff-Peralta triumvirate that gave the Brewers one of the best rotations in the majors.
He finished 10-5 with a 2.81 ERA, WHIP of 0.97 and 195 strikeouts over 144 1/3 innings (28 appearances, 27 starts) that season and is currently on pace to record his third consecutive 200-strikeout campaign.
Should Peralta reach that mark again, he’ll tie Burnes for the second-most 200-strikeout seasons in franchise history with only Yovani Gallardo (four) having more.
Peralta set a career high for wins and strikeouts with 12 and 210 in 2023 and innings and starts with 173 2/3 and 32 in 2024.
Milwaukee is 11-7 in Peralta’s starts so far this season.
As part of the seven-year, $31.5 million contract extension he signed in February of 2020, Peralta earns a $100,000 bonus for being named an all-star.
He’s lined up to start the Brewers’ first-half finale against the Washington Nationals on Sunday. If that holds true, he’d likely be replaced – and by another Milwaukee pitcher, if Murphy has his way.
“I think there’s always a chance,” Murphy said. “I think people know we have some guys like Sal (Frelick) or Brice (Turang), or one of our relievers (such as closer Trevor Megill or Abner Uribe). They’ve had great, great starts here.”
Leave a Reply