(© Jeff Curry-Imagn Images)

The Milwaukee Brewers may have dropped their series opener to the St. Louis Cardinals on Monday with a 6-3 loss, but they got back exactly what they were hoping for and then some in the debut of Jackson Chourio.

After suffering a hand fracture in the World Baseball Classic, Chourio missed more than a month while recovering. His strong offensive production was missed by the Brewers, and upon his return, he did not miss a beat.

Chourio went 4-for-4 at the plate while drawing a walk in the loss, and two of his hits were doubles. After the game, he reacted to his season debut.

"I just went out there to compete," Chourio told the media. "And thanks to God, I had a pretty good day out there and [I’m] happy about that. That's what I've been working for. So, you know, definitely just happy with a good day out there and what we were able to put together."

Though Chourio had a strong evening at the plate, he expressed his frustrations over missed opportunities for the Brewers.

"I think it's frustrating," he said. "You know, obviously today we left a lot of runners out there on the bases, so I think that's frustrating, but at the same time, we have a very talented group in here and I have a lot of confidence in all the guys here in this clubhouse. So, I know that we'll cash in on some of those opportunities later on."

Even though Chourio’s first at-bat of the game produced a double, his favorite hit was his second; a two-out single in the top of the third inning.

"I think the second at-bat," Chourio said. "There, I was able to be a little bit more patient and just see more pitches, and it ended in a hit."

While he was sidelined, Chourio stayed in shape and put in the necessary work to maintain game readiness, and it has paid off.

"I feel really good," he said. "You know, I never stopped doing anything, I never stopped doing activities. You know, I was in the gym every day. I know that obviously, it's not necessarily the same, but I was working hard to just make sure that I was physically ready, and right now, I feel really good. So, I don't feel the need to maybe be overcautious or anything."