The best-ever first at bat in the major leagues has to belong to Kevin Kouzmanoff of the Cleveland Indians.

In Texas, against the Rangers on Saturday, September 2, 2006, Kouzmanoff, batting seventh in the order as the Designated Hitter, pounded a first pitch fastball 417 feet over the Center Field fence to stake the Indians to a 5-0 1st inning lead. The Indians went on the win the game 6-5.

Kouzmanoff is only one of three players in major league history to hit a grand slam in his first at bat. The others are the Philadelphia Phillies' Bill Duggleby on April 21, 1898 and and the Flordia Marlins' Jermey Hermida on August 31, 2005. Kouzmanoff is believed to be the only player to hit a grand slam on the first major league pitch he ever saw.

After the game, Kouzmanoff's Cleveland teammates jokingly suggested he retire, because the game would only go downhill after that.

On November 8, 2006, Kouzmanoff was traded to the San Diego Padres, along with relief pitcher Andrew Brown, for Padres' second baseman Josh Barfield.

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