MILWAUKEE — Scoreboard: Kyle Harrison 3, Rafael Devers 0

It’s clear that one player has emerged as the standout from last season’s major trade deal, and it’s definitely not the Giants, nor Devers and the Red Sox.

This was the player who struck out Devers in their first showdown on Tuesday night.

Harrison put on a strong display in the Brewers’ 8-3 victory over the Giants, pushing the Brewers to a solid record of 37-21. Meanwhile, the two teams involved in the trade last June have been struggling, sitting below .500 in their last 24 games.

And just to add to the excitement, Harrison is on track for his first All-Star selection next month.

“The atmosphere here has been fantastic since day one,” Harrison noted after impressive performance, allowing only one run and notching 12 strikeouts. His ERA of 1.57 remains the best among Brewers pitchers who have started their first 11 games, apart from CC Sabathia’s legendary stint in 2008.

Unfortunately for the Giants, this loss brought them down to 63 wins and 88 losses. It feels like a while since President of Baseball Operations Buster Posey declared “it’s time to go” after trading away Harrison and a couple of other prospects for Devers last June.

General manager Zach Minassian remarked this week, “It’s always quite a shock to part with young talent. Ultimately, it comes down to what you gain in return.”

At that time, the Giants were doing well, sitting 10 games above .500, believing Devers was worth the investment.

Harrison was in the bullpen warming up when he found out about his trade.

“It was tough to be traded that day,” he recalled almost a year later. “I definitely remember that moment.”

Since then, Harrison faced ups and downs, including being sent back to Triple-A by the Red Sox (“Seriously, what’s happening? I felt a bit dizzy”) before eventually being traded to Milwaukee for Caleb Durbin—a move that feels worse with hindsight.

Once hailed as a future star, Harrison mentioned that he drew motivation from his trade experience, and it showed during his time on the mound.

Brewers manager Pat Murphy had to talk to him after the first inning.

“He was a bit hyped up and slightly out of sync initially,” Murphy said. “That threw him off a little. I told him, ‘Remember, this is about the Brewers, not your past team.’

When asked if he’d look forward to facing anyone in particular, like a fellow left-hander, he hesitated.

His speed was evident, though. Four of his five fastest pitches occurred in the first round, yes, but the other was also delivered during his matchup with Devers.

“It always feels a bit personal,” Harrison shared about facing the Giants, having been drafted from a high school nearby. “I grew up just 40 minutes away from that field. I have great memories there, but it’s not like everyone will see it the same way. Still, we have to move on to the next game.”

Check the radar readings: Harrison’s fastball touched 97.5 mph and averaged 95.6 mph. In his last season with San Francisco, the average was 92.6 mph.

He’s fine-tuned his pitches, putting more emphasis on his fastball and slider, adopting a “kick” adjustment learned from a former teammate, adjusting his stance on the rubber, and raising his arm angle slightly.

The suggestion to move more towards first base came from Brewers pitching coach Chris Hook, and Harrison believes it adds more life to his slider. His improved speed seems to come from overcoming past shoulder issues.

“I think I could have easily achieved this with the Giants, but it’s hard to dwell on that,” Harrison admitted. “The important thing now is that I’m healthy and feeling good.”

The better Harrison performs, the more the trade may weigh on the Giants.

“It’s great to see everything coming together for him,” Minassian said. “Sometimes, with certain players, it just takes time. I’m genuinely happy for him. Hopefully, he feels good tomorrow, but also pitches well.”

Spoiler alert: He was ready and didn’t hold back.

“He’s gone through a lot, and that’s a testament to his resilience,” Murphy said. “It seems like he’s starting to realize that if he sticks to his game plan, he can really excel.”