A 98.2 mph cutter from Milwaukee Brewers right-hander Jacob Misiorowski caught Colorado Rockies outfielder Tyler Freeman flush on the helmet Saturday night, bringing a tense halt to play in a game the Brewers went on to win 7-1 at Coors Field.
The sixth-inning pitch clipped the ear flap, twisting Freeman’s helmet and sending trainers and catcher William Contreras sprinting toward the batter’s box. The Rockies quickly pulled Freeman for evaluation. He walked off under his own power but did not return and was not made available to reporters after the game. The club said he was being observed following the incident, according to MLB.com.
Misiorowski’s Velocity Milestones
Before and after the scary moment, Misiorowski was overpowering. The rookie struck out eight over seven innings, allowing just one run while trimming his ERA to 1.50 in the Brewers’ 7-1 win.
His radar-gun readings were just as eye-popping. Misiorowski unleashed a 103.7 mph heater, the fastest pitch by a starter since Statcast began tracking, and piled up 52 pitches at 100 mph or harder. That included a record 45 offerings at 101 mph or above, according to Bleacher Report. A full game recap is available from the Associated Press.
Reaction On The Field
Misiorowski looked rattled in the aftermath and later made it clear he had not meant to come anywhere near Freeman’s head.
“Obviously, not aiming for him,” he told reporters. “There’s also the moment, I’m standing behind the mound trying to pray for him a little bit.”
Rockies first baseman Troy Johnston tried to cut through the tension with some dark humor, telling reporters, “They were talking about amputating his head, but I think they advised against that,” as both dugouts regrouped and the game moved on. Video and postgame comments were documented by MLB.com.
Why Velocity Matters
Plays like this are a harsh reminder of what max-effort pitching looks like when it goes wrong. As average fastball speeds climb and the gap between a pitcher’s typical and peak velocity shrinks, every mistake has a little more bite.
Teams have reshaped rotations and workloads around that reality, weighing the benefits of elite velocity against the physical toll and heightened risk when a pitch sails off target. As Ben Lindbergh detailed in The Ringer, those trends have forced clubs to rethink deployment, durability, and safety across the league.
The Rockies later confirmed that Freeman walked to the dugout under his own power and was being evaluated after the game. He remained unavailable to the media, and any updates on his condition or potential roster moves will come from the team or league, according to the Associated Press.
