From 11-K shutouts to first-pitch grand slams, here are the best Cleveland debuts

CLEVELAND -- There’s nothing quite like a big league debut, which is always an unforgettable experience for a player and the culmination of a lifetime of dedication to baseball.

Since their inaugural season in 1901, the Guardians have had countless players reach the Majors in a Cleveland uniform, many of whom delivered memorable and unforgettable performances. But which stand above the rest?

Here is a look at 10 of the best Major League debut games in Cleveland franchise history.

1) Luis Tiant (July 19, 1964)
The Indians called upon Tiant for his debut to start the second game of a doubleheader at Yankee Stadium. All the 23-year-old did was throw a shutout in Cleveland’s 3-0 win over New York in which he outdueled Yankees starter and future Hall of Famer Whitey Ford. Tiant struck out 11 (the most by a Cleveland pitcher in their MLB debut) and allowed just four singles and four walks to top the eventual American League pennant winners.

• Luis Tiant's 10 most memorable moments

Tiant struck out the first batter he faced, Tony Kubek, and then Roger Maris to end the first inning and kick-start his stellar 19-year big league career.

2) Kevin Kouzmanoff (Sept. 2, 2006)
Kouzmanoff’s debut was the type of thing you dream about as a kid. The 25-year-old became the first player to hit a grand slam on the first pitch he saw in the Majors, when he took Edinson Volquez deep in the first inning of Cleveland’s 6-5 win over the Rangers. Kouzmanoff ultimately played just 16 games with Cleveland as part of his seven-year big league career, but he forever etched his name into franchise lore in his first taste of the big leagues.

3) Ron Taylor (April 11, 1962)
Taylor holds the top-ranked MLB debut by a pitcher in Cleveland franchise history by win probability added (0.610). His final line does not do him justice. In a 4-0 loss to the Red Sox at Fenway Park, the 24-year-old was charged with four runs on 10 hits and three walks with five strikeouts over 11-plus innings. But that included 11 scoreless innings before Boston finally got to him in the 12th. Taylor surrendered a leadoff triple to Carl Yastrzemski, intentionally walked Frank Malzone and Russ Nixon, and then yielded a walk-off grand slam to Carroll Hardy. Taylor ultimately made eight appearances (four starts) in his lone season with Cleveland.

4) Josh Bard (Aug. 23, 2002)
Bard’s big league debut was straight out of a movie script. The 24-year-old backstop recorded his first career hit when he singled in the fifth inning off Seattle’s Joel Pineiro. In the ninth, Bard launched a walk-off two-run homer off James Baldwin that gave Cleveland a 4-2 win over the Mariners at Jacobs Field. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Bard became only the second player in AL/NL history to hit a walk-off homer in their debut. He went on to play 156 games over parts of four seasons with Cleveland.

5) Scott Lewis (Sept. 10, 2008)
With Anthony Reyes dealing with right elbow soreness, Cleveland turned to Lewis (who was pitching in the postseason for Double-A Akron) for a spot start in Baltimore. The 24-year-old lefty stepped up and tossed eight scoreless innings to lead Cleveland to a 7-1 win over the Orioles. Lewis allowed one double and a pair of singles across 96 pitches (67 strikes), and he retired the final eight batters he faced to pick up his first career win. It was one of only five starts the lefty made in the big leagues.

6) Triston McKenzie (Aug. 22, 2020)
McKenzie finished just short of matching Tiant’s franchise record for most strikeouts by a pitcher in their big league debut. In a 6-1 win over the Tigers, the 23-year-old struck out 10 batters and allowed one run (a Willi Castro solo homer), two hits and one walk over six innings on 80 pitches (56 strikes). The outing was even more impressive given that McKenzie had last pitched in a professional game on Aug. 30, 2018. He missed the entire 2019 season due to injuries, and the ’20 Minor League season was canceled amid the pandemic.

7) Roy Weatherly (June 27, 1936)
Weatherly holds the Cleveland franchise record for most total bases a player has logged in their MLB debut (seven), and his four RBIs are tied with Kouzmanoff for the most. The 21-year-old (who hit sixth and started in right field) went 3-for-5 with two triples, one single and one run scored in Cleveland’s 14-5 win over the Red Sox. Weatherly went on to hit .288 with a .753 OPS over seven seasons with Cleveland.

8) Dave Roberts (Aug. 7, 1999)
Roberts, a multitime World Series-winning manager, made his big league debut at 27 years old and had a grand introduction to the big league stage. In Cleveland’s 15-10 win over Tampa Bay, Roberts reached base four times -- tied with Milt Galatzer for most by a Cleveland player in their MLB debut. Roberts hit leadoff and went 3-for-5 with two singles, one double, a stolen base and three runs scored.

9) Cody Anderson (June 21, 2015)
Pitching on Father’s Day with his parents in the stands, Anderson delivered a remarkable MLB debut performance in Cleveland’s 1-0 win over the Rays. The 24-year-old right-hander tossed 7 2/3 scoreless innings and allowed six hits and one walk with four strikeouts. Anderson was a steady presence in 2015 (3.05 ERA over 15 starts) before he later missed the ‘17 and ‘18 seasons following Tommy John surgery. He ultimately made 39 appearances (26 starts) in his big league career that spanned through 2019.

10) Earl Averill (April 16, 1929)
What’s the best way to start an eventual Hall of Fame career? Just ask Averill. The 26-year-old became the sixth player to hit a home run in their first big league at-bat. Averill (who batted third and started in center field) took Earl Whitehill deep in the first inning of Cleveland’s 5-4 win over the Tigers at League Park II. It set in motion Averill’s 13-year career that led to his enshrinement in Cooperstown in 1975.