The best Major League debuts in Brewers history

MILWAUKEE – You only get one chance to make a good first impression, and these Brewers pitchers and hitters made the most of that opportunity.

To compile a list of the best Major League debuts in a Brewers uniform, we used a mix of win probability added (WPA) and good old-fashioned feel. Here are our picks for the best Day 1s in the big leagues.

1. Steve Woodard
July 28, 1997 (Game 1) vs. Blue Jays
The top-ranked debut in franchise history by WPA (0.607) and Bill James’ game score (91) as of 2025, Woodard was 22 years old when he was called up for Game 1 of a doubleheader at County Stadium, and he outdueled Toronto ace Roger Clemens in a memorable 1-0 Brewers win. Woodard allowed a leadoff double to Otis Nixon, then allowed no more hits over eight scoreless innings, striking out 12 to match the American League record for a pitcher making his MLB debut.

It started a banner day for the Brewers, who turned a triple play in Game 2 of a doubleheader sweep.

“I feel like I’m dreaming,” Woodard told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “I’m waiting for someone to pinch me right now.”

2. Sal Frelick
July 22, 2023 vs. Braves
Frelick put together one of the most electric debuts in franchise history in a 4-3 win over the Braves, making his long-delayed callup worth the wait. A player former Brewers manager Craig Counsell called "The Hit Collector" collected hits, RBIs and highlight-reel catches on national TV against the team with the best record in baseball, all while his father and siblings -- mom was at home with the family dog, set to join the party for Sunday’s series finale -- celebrated with the rest of a crowd of 39,707 at American Family Field. Frelick singled in each of his first three plate appearances to tie the franchise record for hits in a Major League debut, made a pair of highlight-reel catches at the warning track and then drove in the tying run in the sixth inning alone, then drove in the go-ahead run in the eighth with a sacrifice fly to right field.

“It's going to take a while to top that game in the big leagues,” Counsell said.

3. Sixto Lezcano
Sept. 10, 1974 vs. Orioles
The product of Puerto Rico who is the only player in Major League history with two Opening Day grand slams, Lezcano was called up to the Majors in September 1974 to start in right field against the Orioles. He singled off three-time All-Star Dave McNally in his first at-bat for the first of three hits, capped by a walk-off single in the 10th inning that sealed a 6-5 Brewers win. His three hits set a record for a Major League debut with the Brewers, since matched by Steve Bowling in ‘76 and Frelick in 2023.

4. Freddy Peralta
May 13, 2018 at Rockies
By WPA, somehow this was only the 15th-best pitching debut in Brewers history as of 2025. But it had all the feels, starting with the fact Peralta wasn’t supposed to be in the big leagues at all. He was supposed to be at Triple-A Colorado Springs with his parents, who had traveled to the U.S. to see their son pitch professionally for the first time. When an illness struck Chase Anderson and prompted an emergency callup, Peralta seized the moment on Mother’s Day, firing fastball after fastball and carrying a no-hitter into the sixth inning of a 7-3 Brewers win. His 13 strikeouts set a Brewers rookie record.

5. Yovani Gallardo
June 18, 2007 vs. Giants
With Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun in tow, the Brewers were just getting good, and Gallardo was helping to lead the way on both sides of the ball, so to speak. His debut on the mound was good enough, holding San Francisco to three runs on four hits over 6 1/3 innings, with three walks and four strikeouts. But Gallardo, often his own best friend in an era when National League pitchers still got to swing the bat, pushed his performance over the top by knocking an RBI double in his first career at-bat and later working a walk on the way to a 5-4 Brewers win.

6. Geoff Jenkins
April 24, 1998 at Giants
At USC, Jenkins remembers cutting night classes a time or two and going to Dodger Stadium to see Orel Hershiser pitch. Now Hershiser was starting for the Giants against the Brewers and Jenkins, and the rookie singled in his first Major League at-bat and scored on Mike Matheny’s two-run hit as the Brewers cut a 3-0 deficit to 3-2 in the second inning. Three innings later, in Jenkins’ third at-bat, he lined a solo home run off Hershiser to cap a go-ahead four-run rally in what would become a 7-5 Brewers win.

Jenkins’ grandmother was in the front row, sitting next to a well-meaning Giants fan who learned of her relationship with the fresh-faced Brewers outfielder. He got so excited when Jenkins connected with Hershiser’s sinker that he jumped up to cheer -- and blocked grandma’s view.

“Still, what a great moment,” Jenkins said.

And a great start to his career.

“The biggest thing as a Major Leaguer is understanding you belong,” Jenkins said.

7. Jackson Chourio
March 29, 2024 at Mets
The Brewers took a leap of faith when they signed Chourio to an eight-year, $82 million contract at the 2023 Winter Meetings, shattering the record payout for a player with zero Major League experience. It didn’t take long for Chourio to show them what they’d paid for. In a season-opening 3-1 win at Citi Field, Chourio picked up his first career hit, his first career stolen base and his first career RBI in his debut, and he had a nice jumping catch in right field, too. At 20, he became the youngest player to hit leadoff in his Major League debut since Hall of Famer Bobby Doerr in 1937. Chourio stayed calm enough to take a four-pitch walk to begin his career.

8. Jacob Misiorowski
June 12, 2025 vs. Cardinals
Of course Jacob Misiorowski’s first pitch in the Major Leagues was a fastball. It found the strike zone at 100.5 mph, making it the second-fastest fastball thrown by a Brewers starter in the pitch-tracking era (since 2008), just a few clicks below Trevor Megill’s 100.7 mph as an opener in '23. That mark didn’t take long to fall. Misiorowski’s second pitch was 101.8 mph. His fifth pitch was 102.2 mph. His 78th pitch was 101.1 mph to complete a fifth hitless inning.

Misiorowski’s outing was cut short in the sixth when he stumbled and rolled his ankle. But that didn’t tarnish a 6-0 Brewers win, nor an outing – five-plus innings, no runs, no hits, four walks, five strikeouts – for the 6-foot-7 pitching prospect, who would be on the mound at the All-Star Game a month later.

9. Ryan Braun
May 25, 2007 at San Diego
It probably shocked Braun when his career began with a flyout against future Hall of Famer Greg Maddux. But Braun later delivered a sacrifice fly and an RBI double (for his first career hit) in the opening salvo of his run to the 2007 NL Rookie of the Year Award.

10. Gary Beare
Sept. 7, 1976 vs. Cleveland
Beare’s 12 hits allowed set a franchise record for a Major League debut, but he struck out eight and limited the damage to four runs (three earned) in a 17-4 Brewers win. Fun fact: Bill Parsons (April 13, 1971 vs. the A’s), Gary Ryerson (June 28, 1972 vs. Cleveland) and Beare are the only pitchers in Brewers history to throw a complete game in a Major League debut.

Honorable mention
Jim Slaton
April 14, 1971 at White Sox
Working opposite Tommy John, Slaton threw six scoreless innings, allowing three hits, three walks and four strikeouts in a 2-0 win at Comiskey Park that launched one of the longest and best pitching careers in Milwaukee franchise history.

Nick Neugebauer
Aug. 19, 2001 at Reds
His nine strikeouts in five effective innings at Riverfront Stadium showed why Neugebauer was considered a cornerstone of the future with fellow rookie Ben Sheets. Injuries got in the way.

Chris Saenz
April 24, 2004 vs. Cardinals
Six scoreless innings against the Cardinals, two hits, three walks, seven strikeouts – and never seen in the Major Leagues again.

Brandon Woodruff
Aug. 4, 2017 at Rays
After injuring his hamstring while warming up to start against the Cardinals months earlier, Woodruff finally got his chance at Tropicana Field and fired 6 1/3 scoreless innings vs. the Rays.