Jacob Misiorowski forced to exit early again due to leg cramps

Milwaukee Brewers Jacob Misiorowski was forced to leave his start early for the second time in three outings on Wednesday after experiencing leg cramping during the late stages of his dominant performance against the San Diego Padres.

The 24-year-old right-hander had been in superb form, holding the Padres to just four hits over seven scoreless innings while striking out 10 batters. 

He was set to begin the eighth inning and had already taken the mound to warm up when he signalled for a trainer.

Medical staff appeared to examine his right leg before the Brewers decided to remove him from the game without him throwing a pitch in the inning.

The issue marked a repeat concern for Misiorowski, who also exited his previous start on 1 May after 5 1/3 hitless innings against the Washington Nationals due to a right hamstring cramp. This time, the problem was located in his right quadriceps.

After the game, Misiorowski said he came out due to cramping in his right quadriceps.

"Probably the exact same (issue) as last time, but it was the quad this time instead of the hamstring," he said. "Nothing we haven't seen before. It'll be fine. I'll be ready to go."

Despite his departure, the Brewers still held a 1-0 lead heading into the final innings.

However, the game slipped away in the ninth when reliever Abner Uribe allowed a single and a walk before Gavin Sheets of the Padres launched a three-run home run to secure a 3-1 victory for San Diego.

Misiorowski’s latest outing still underlined his strikeout ability, pushing his major league-leading total to 80 on the season, even as concerns remain over recurring cramping issues.