Rookie Oliver Dunn is one of 12 Brewers players on their first opening day roster

NEW YORK -- You have to hand it to Pat Murphy. He's always keeping everybody on their toes.

Tasked with informing Oliver Dunn that he'd be suiting up on opening day for the Milwaukee Brewers and not the Class AAA Nashville Sounds as had originally been planned, the skipper chose to make the young infielder sweat a bit first.

"He’d just arrived in Nashville with his wife, and I called him and asked him why he didn’t keep in better touch with the team, why did he leave (Arizona) without saying goodbye? I was pretty tough on him," Murphy recalled. "Rattled him. Then finally broke it to him. ‘Hey, if you’re not going to be one of us, we’re going to have to send you out. We’re going to have to send you to New York. You’re going to be on the opening-day roster. But the bad news is you’re going to have to drive.’

"He thought I was serious and said, ‘I’ll be there tonight.’"

Dunn, 26, is one of an incredible 12 players who are appearing on their first opening day roster with the Brewers as they take to Citi Field on Friday afternoon and face the New York Mets following their rain postponement Thursday.

He also joins Jackson Chourio as one of two Milwaukee players who will be making their major-league debuts. Dunn's opportunity came as the result of Garrett Mitchell's fractured left index finger, which shifts Sal Frelick from third base back to the outfield full-time and left the Salt Lake City native and his wife, Lucy, scrambling.

"A call from Murph in the middle of the day wasn’t expected, so I knew something was up," Dunn said. "He was asking me, ‘Why didn’t you say bye when you left?’ and I was like, ‘My bad.' It was just a whirlwind of a day. We had just gotten in. The weather was bad. Then it was just like, ‘Well…’ We have a dog and we had to figure out what we were going to do with her.

"It was a whirlwind, but at the same time it was also exciting. It’s the call everybody wants at some point, so it was awesome."

Dunn's left-handed bat, ability to play both third and second base and strong spring performance -- .282 average, one home run, 10 runs batted in an an OPS of .891 in 17 Cactus League games -- helped earn him his spot with the Brewers.

But a year ago at this time the possibility appeared far-fetched, as he was coming off an injury plagued 2022 in the New York Yankees organization.

But he rebounded with a breakout 2023 at Class AA Reading after being acquired by the Philadelphia Phillies in the minor-league phase of the Rule 5 draft, was named Breakout Player of the Year in the Arizona Fall League and then in November was traded to the Brewers in exchange for minor-league infielder Robert Moore.

"It’s cool. Looking back on it, it’s pretty crazy what’s happened in a year," Dunn said. "But it just reassures myself about the way I’ve been going about things the past year. Just, how my processes have been going through and how I’ve been doing that stuff and continuing working.

"Just, continue doing it."

Joining Dunn and Chourio as players celebrating their first opening days in the majors will be right-handers Trevor Megill, Elvis Peguero, Abner Uribe and Thyago Vieira, left-handers DL Hall and Bryan Hudson, infielders Andruw Monasterio and Joey Ortiz, outfielder Blake Perkins and Frelick.

Murphy is already on record as stating Chourio will be starting in right field. Perkins will start in center with the Mets pitching left-hander José Quintana and Ortiz is a strong bet to be starting at third. It's likely at least a couple of the relievers will also see action behind starter Freddy Peralta.

"You could look at it as a disadvantage if you choose," Murphy said when asked about the large number of first-timers. "But I’m excited. I’m excited for all of them.

"It’s really cool."

Notably absent from the roster is catcher Eric Haase, who the team ultimately designated for assignment.

It was a tough call, with the veteran coming off a dynamite camp in which he hit .395 with five homers, 14 RBI and an OPS of 1.333 and also led the Brewers in innings caught.

But with William Contreras and Gary Sánchez cemented as the top two backstops and the Mitchell injury leading to needs elsewhere on the roster, there simply was no room for Haase.

"This happens in nearly every camp, where a player will only make the team if another guy gets injured, because you have a certain number of spots," said Murphy. "There won’t be two teams keeping three catchers coming out of spring training. It’s a pretty common occurrence. But it’s uncommon what he did in spring training. It’s truly uncommon.

"You couldn’t have expected him to do more than he’s done. So, it’s hard. Very difficult to talk to him personally with as well as he’s doing it at this level and say (you didn't make it). But there’s a chance he stays with us. The front office has done a great job of making it tough for him to go other places, making it tough for other teams to get him. They’ve given him a really good contract.

"So, if you’re going to come and get him you’re going to play him because you’re going to want him. And if not, then we’re the beneficiary."

Murphy was reminded that he, too, will be taking part in his first opening day as a major-league manager.

"I haven’t given it much thought, to be quite honest," he said. "I’m not trying to be dismissive in any way. Whenever my mind goes to something like that, it’s about (the players). And I just keep it that way. It’s easier. It’s opening day; who is this about? It’s about the players. I have a role, but this is about the players and I always want to keep it that way. There will be things that affect me more than the players, but I just want to keep it about them.

"I’m excited to be here and be with them and representing the Brewers and Mark (Attanasio) and Matt (Arnold). I feel truly grateful that they’ve given me this opportunity. I’m pumped about it. But I’ve got a job to do and we’ve got a little adversity put on our plate in a lot of ways."

The little bit of adversity put on Dunn's plate -- what to do with his dog -- has already been dealt with.

Dunn's parents, who live in North Carolina, were able to head to Nashville to scoop up the pooch before turning northward. They'll be in attendance Friday along with Dunn's sister and several cousins who live locally.

Younger brother Ross, a pitcher in the Minnesota Twins organization, is, understandably, tending to his own career.

As for Dunn and his wife, they ultimately flew from Nashville to New York to join the team. Not that he wasn't willing to keep on motoring as he originally offered.

"I’d walk if I'd needed to," he joked.