Brewers start the 2023 season with a series win in Chicago as Crewsing for a Brewsing visits Wrigley Field

And away we go!

Milwaukee Brewers baseball is back! The winter of our discontent is over and we can let the warmth of baseball season wash over us. Or something like that.

After a 4-0 loss on Opening Day at Wrigley Field, The Crew bounced back with a pair of exciting wins. A Brandon Woodruff gem and clutch hits from William Contreras and Jesse Winker locked in a 3-1 win on Saturday. That would be followed up by a rookie led 9-5 victory on Sunday.

Adam and I got the chance to take in Saturday’s game live and in person with the rest of the GSPN crew. We chat about the impact of some of the newcomers and look forward to the home opening series against the New York Mets.

Master Brewer Leaderboard (through 3 games)

(The Master Brewer Leaderboard is a season-long leaderboard tracking and ranking exceptional performances from Brewers players in the form of Master Brew Points 🍺, which at the end of the season will tally up to crown our Crewsing for a Brewsing Player of the Year.)

Brice Turang 🍺

It surprised Brewers fans when Brice Turang was named to the Opening Day roster, but he sure looked like he belongs in the big leagues this weekend. Turang played stellar defense and turned in a 3-for-8 batting line against the Cubs. His patience, contact hitting, and speed on the base-paths definitely stood out during his first two games as a Brewers.

Joey Wiemer 🍺

After failing to make the Opening Day roster, Joey Wiemer got his shot a lot quicker than he may have imagined due to an unfortunate injury to Luis Urias. Wiemer rewarded Milwaukee’s faith with a double in his debut. His aggressive playing style, power at the plate, and rocket throwing arm should make him a fan favorite in no time.

Garrett Mitchell 🍺

Brewers fans are already very familiar with Garrett Mitchell’s game after his small sample to end the 2022 season, but we’ll still include him in the newcomer section. Mitchell once again showcased his game-changing speed with a triple on Sunday. His 2-for-10 opening series also included a walk, one RBI, and a run scored.

William Contreras 🍺

Conteras had a mixed bag of a series due to his four strikeouts, but his bloop single in the 8th inning on Saturday was key to the Brewers getting their first win of the season. He was also robbed of a few hits by his former teammate Dansby Swanson. His bat should continue to heat up as he gets used to his new surroundings.

Brian Anderson 🍺

Brian Anderson was perhaps the most surprising signing of the winter, but he had one of the loudest weekends at the plate. Anderson played both right field and third base while going 3-for-8 with three walks, one RBI, and two runs scored.

Jesse Winker 🍺

Winker settled into his new team nicely over the weekend after a tough Opening Day. Winker finished the series 3-for-8 with a double, a walk, and a team high four RBI.

Christian Yelich 🍺

It felt quiet, but Christian Yelich lived on base against the Cubs. His 3-for-11 series included three walks, a double, but also five strikeouts. Is Yelich BACK back? I guess time will tell. We may be asking ourselves that question every Opening Day until the sun burns out.

Brandon Woodruff 🍺

Brandon Woodruff did Brandon Woodruff things to start the season and showed why many (this podcast) have him as an NL Cy Young contender this year. Woodruff’s lone blemish during Saturday’s game was allowing a solo homer to Ian Happ. He finished the day after six innings with just three hits allowed, one walk, the lone run, and eight strikeouts.

Peter Strzelecki 🍺

Peter Strzelecki looked like the best reliever in the bullpen during his two appearances. He turned in two scoreless innings with no hits, one walk, no runs, and two strikeouts. We expect him to throw plenty of high leverage innings this year. So far, so good.

Gus Varland 🍺

All aboard the Gus Bus! Gus Varland stole the hearts of Brewers fans everywhere with his emotional reaction to making the Opening Day roster. In his debut series he stranded four base-runners over the course of two scoreless innings. His biting slider and fastball up to 97 MPH makes him one of most intriguing new members in this bullpen.

Leaderboard through 3 games

Brice Turang, Joey Wiemer, Garrett Mitchell, William Conteras, Brian Anderson, Jesse Winker, Christian Yelich, Brandon Woodruff, Peter Strzelecki, Gus Varland: 🍺