The Milwaukee Brewers dropped their first game of the 2025 MLB regular season with a 4-2 loss against the New York Yankees. To add insult to injury, their former closer, two-time All-Star Devin Williams, was the one who locked down the ninth inning for his first save as a Yankee.
Also Read: 3 Studs and Duds from Milwaukee’s Opening Day Loss to the Yankees
Brewers starter Freddy Peralta pitched well, throwing 5.0 innings and giving up four hits, two runs, one walk, and striking out eight. Unfortunately, two of those hits were solo home runs, one of which would have been a high flyout in any other ballpark save Yankees Stadium.
Unfortunately, Milwaukee’s bats could not back up the stellar pitching from Peralta. Most notably, leadoff hitter Jackson Chourio made some dubious MLB history.
Milwaukee Brewers Outfielder Jackson Chourio Struggled in the Season Opener
With his first at bat of the 2025 MLB season, Chourio became just the second player in Major League history age 21 or younger to hit leadoff twice on Opening Day.
The last player to do it was Sibby Sisti, who played for the Boston Braves (later the Milwaukee Braves and now the Atlanta Braves). Interestingly Sisti would go on to make an appearance in the baseball classic “The Natural.”
Jackson Chourio today will become only the second player in MLB history 21 years or younger to bat leadoff twice on Opening Day.
The other player to do it? None other than Sibby Sisti, the member of the 1940s Boston Braves who would later appear as an actor in “The Natural”.
— Curt Hogg (@CyrtHogg) March 27, 2025
Unfortunately, that was not the only bit of history Chourio made on Thursday. While that little piece of trivia is cool and fun, his next “historic” performance is the exact opposite.
The 21-year-old outfielder went 0-5 against the Yankees. And if that were not bad enough, he struck out all five times.
He is just the third player in Major League history to strike out five times in a nine inning game. The last to do it was Jonathan India of the Cincinnati Reds, who did it against the Brewers in 2022.
Milwaukee Brewers Manager Pat Murphy Does Not Seem Worried About Jackson Chourio
Going into today, one would have been hard-pressed to find a Brewers or Reds fan that remembered India striking out five times in a nine inning game. That is because baseball has a 162-game season. It is a marathon, not a sprint. There are good days and there are bad days.
Today was a bad day for Chourio, but it does not define who he is as a player.
After the game, Brewers manager Pat Murphy was asked about what he said or would say to his 21-year-old star about his historically bad day. He responded, “It’s a great learning experience for him.” After complimenting New York’s pitchers, he continued, “The game’s going to keep humbling you. You gotta keep just staying after it.
“He’ll learn from this and he’ll remember this as something that he had to go through.” Then with a smile, Murphy said, “He killed it in Spring Training. Hitting balls everywhere, it was like he wasn’t even trying.
“And the the intensity got turned up, and the situation changes. And pitchers were like, ‘I’m not going to throw Jackson any heat down the middle.’ But he’ll respond to this. At some point, he will respond.”
More of Murphy’s press conference can be seen below, which includes his thoughts on Peralta’s outing:
Pat Murphy on Jackson Chourio’s five-strikeout Opening Day: “He’ll learn from this and he’ll remember this as something he had to go through.” pic.twitter.com/uU5nvMwoPZ
— Adam McCalvy (@AdamMcCalvy) March 27, 2025
It is important for fans to remember that Chourio just turned 21 years old. Most players are not even in the Majors by the time they are 21, and he has a full season under his belt already.
He will learn, he will get better, and he will see success.
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