What happened: Jacob Misiorowski closed 2026 as the fourth pitcher this century to finish with more strikeouts than opponents' slugging percentage, among pitchers with at least 150 innings. He ended the season with 252 strikeouts while holding hitters to a .246 slugging mark.

Why it matters: That put him alongside Pedro Martinez, Randy Johnson and Clayton Kershaw in a short list that doubles as a shorthand for season-long dominance. It also adds another late stamp to Misiorowski's historic strikeout climb from August as 2026 pitching resumes are weighed against each other.

What to watch: Awards-season comparisons are the next place this benchmark is likely to surface. The four-man list gives Misiorowski another clean marker as year-end pitching honors are sorted.