The Milwaukee Brewers suffered their first loss of​​ the 2026 season on Monday after falling to the Tampa Bay Rays, 3-2. Despite the loss, it was a strong outing for left-hander Kyle Harrison.

Harrison made his first start of the season for the Brewers and, after giving up a leadoff home run to Yandy Diaz, shook it off and went five innings and struck out eight batters while only allowing four hits, one earned run and one walk. After the game, Harrison provided his thoughts on the outing.

“The first one is out of the way,” Harrison told the media. “I had to get comfortable on that mound and obviously didn't start off how I wanted, you know, I didn't execute a change-up, but I felt like I bounced back pretty good. I got the five and ideally six, but I worked a little too hard on those first couple of meets.”

Harrison, 24, came to the Brewers in a Feb. 9 trade that saw former Milwaukee infielder Caleb Durbin and other infielders go to the Boston Red Sox. The 2026 season is Harrison's fourth in Major League Baseball, and he has made 38 career starts, 24 of which came with the San Francisco Giants in 2024.

For Harrison, starting for his new team does not bring added pressure. Rather, it provokes a feeling of wanting to play well.

“Yeah, you know, I wouldn't say pressure,” Harrison said. “I'd just say, like, you want to do your best for this team and help the team win, man, and that's all they've tried to do today and obviously, like I said, rough start, but I felt like I bounced back pretty good.”

Even though he gave up a leadoff home run, Harrison was able to bounce back quickly from a mental standpoint thanks to the experience he has garnered early in his career.

“Yeah, it was just simple though,” Harrison said. “You know, I feel like I've gotten past that point of my career, like dwelling in the moment, letting it get on you, and my mindset going into today was just execute, and I didn't execute that pitch, so all I can do is execute the next one.”

Harrison was happy with how he was able to incorporate his fastball, and he felt that the changeup improved throughout the evening.

“It got better as the outing went on,” he said. “Same with the slider as well, so I definitely got more comfortable with my pitches as the game went on, and was able to really finish that changeup.”

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