Brewers trade for RHP Quinn Priester

[Team Canada]

3 hours ago, Brian said:

Worse than anyone else mentioned

Koenig has allowed a run in 3 of his last 15 appearances. Obviously that doesn't account for other runners he's let score, but if you're expecting relievers to never allow a hit, you'll also be quite disappointed when they don't start an inning.

Anyway, the other point about this being the Priester thread is also fair.

[tmwiese55]

39 minutes ago, BrewerFan said:

1-I think someone who slights in ahead of Mears would be a big upgrade. Chapman would fit a couple of needs. 

2-Catcher? Contreras, Haase, Siegler, and then Quero in AAA? Seems like we'd have to give up a lot for...what probably wouldn't be an upgrade. 

3-A big bat is always nice. Suarez fits the lineup, Durbin becomes more of a PHer. Especially with Hoskins out. 

Yea can never have enough relief, Chapman also would check the box of power lefty in that role which is something they're misssing.

I agree on C not really being much of a need, assuming Contreras won't go to DL.  Keep in mind also have many year vet Alfaro in AAA. But personally I've been more than happy with Haase.

Didn't really think of before your post for some reason, but Suarez also can easily cover 1B while Hoskins is out and/or down the line if Hoskins falters.   A big side question on IF would be if they are willing to have Turang shift to SS midseason or not, if so it opens up tons of flexibility. You could have something like Hoskins 1B, Suarez 3B, Turang SS, Durbin 2b.  That said, I don't really get coming down on Ortiz now once he's finally been doing well

[wiguy94]

9 minutes ago, tmwiese55 said:

Yea can never have enough relief, Chapman also would check the box of power lefty in that role which is something they're misssing.

I agree on C not really being much of a need, assuming Contreras won't go to DL.  Keep in mind also have many year vet Alfaro in AAA. But personally I've been more than happy with Haase.

Didn't really think of before your post for some reason, but Suarez also can easily cover 1B while Hoskins is out and/or down the line if Hoskins falters.   A big side question on IF would be if they are willing to have Turang shift to SS midseason or not, if so it opens up tons of flexibility. You could have something like Hoskins 1B, Suarez 3B, Turang SS, Durbin 2b.  That said, I don't really get coming down on Ortiz now once he's finally been doing well

They have a power lefty. His name is Aaron Ashby. We just need our manager to stop treating him like he's Tyler Alexander

[Team Canada]

48 minutes ago, Brian said:

I'd have to go back 20 posts to read something about Priester more than twice. Micromanagers. 

Obviously every single post isn't going to relate to a given topic, but generally the point of a discussion topic is that it contains discussion about...that topic. Sometimes it veers and it's good to direct back.

It's not micromanaging, it's just managing.

[BrewerFan]

4 hours ago, wiguy94 said:

They have a power lefty. His name is Aaron Ashby. We just need our manager to stop treating him like he's Tyler Alexander

What's been wrong with how Ashby has been used?

He's been used PRIMARILY in close games and in high leverage situations with a couple times coming in like last night, vs a deep and dangerous Dodgers lineup up...I believe 5-0. 

Alexander was brought in almost exclusively when they were losing bad.

 

I've also...not seen a team that has too many power arms out of the pen. 

 

3 hours ago, endaround said:

Congratulations on derailing the thread?

It's how threads organically evolve. It's just talking about baseball... it's not like a 3rd grade math class(though it feels like it at times...guys, I will lock this thread if you don't talk about Priester!)...

Kinda...half kidding. 

[wiguy94]

31 minutes ago, BrewerFan said:

What's been wrong with how Ashby has been used?

He's been used PRIMARILY in close games and in high leverage situations with a couple times coming in like last night, vs a deep and dangerous Dodgers lineup up...I believe 5-0. 

Alexander was brought in almost exclusively when they were losing bad.

Ashby came in with the Brewers up 7-0 and also came back out with the Brewers up 9-0 in the 8th. Ashby has the second lowest leverage index (game leverage when entering the game) in the Brewers current bullpen only ahead of Easton McGee so you're very wrong on how he's been used. Also Alexander had a 1.04 leverage index as a Brewer this year compared to Ashby's 0.66 so Alexander was used in more leverage spots.

[BrewerFan]

20 hours ago, wiguy94 said:

Ashby came in with the Brewers up 7-0 and also came back out with the Brewers up 9-0 in the 8th. Ashby has the second lowest leverage index (game leverage when entering the game) in the Brewers current bullpen only ahead of Easton McGee so you're very wrong on how he's been used. Also Alexander had a 1.04 leverage index as a Brewer this year compared to Ashby's 0.66 so Alexander was used in more leverage spots.

Yeah, I really don't have a problem with how they're using him. Maybe the Minnesota game, but he started out coming back from injury, they like using him in the middle innings, which are huge or a couple innings to close out games, save the pen and keep him throwing multiple innings...usually. 

I think the "Average Leverage Index" is...flawed. A .40 for coming in vs the Cubs in the 6th inning(in what ended up an 8-7 game, though I realize that's not included)?  

He came in vs the Padres down 2-0 and 1-0 and the ALI was .22 and .90.

Those are important innings. 

The Brewers get leads and have pitchers that usually go ~5 innings(I'd guess our starters are close to 5 innings per outing). So a dominant reliever who takes over from there or who can finish out the game...especially in a pitcher you still want to become a starter, I'm alright with it.

Alexander on the other hand, he was used as a starter when we were just trying to get innings and then early in the year before Uribe had established himself AND multiple extra innings games when we were just trying to survive, but far more in blowouts. 

 

But even if you did want to make Ashby a one inning reliever and use him like you use Koenig or Uribe...I don't think that's means you don't try and add another BP arm who can push Mears down a rung on the ladder. 

 

Mostly I just like how he's covering multiple innings, giving the Brewers a chance to add to the lead or in most instances, shutting the other team down so we can come back from a run or two down,  staying healthy and saving the BP more than we were earlier in the season. 

[bm1090]

22 hours ago, BrewerFan said:

Yeah, I really don't have a problem with how they're using him. Maybe the Minnesota game, but he started out coming back from injury, they like using him in the middle innings, which are huge or a couple innings to close out games, save the pen and keep him throwing multiple innings...usually. 

I think the "Average Leverage Index" is...flawed. A .40 for coming in vs the Cubs in the 6th inning(in what ended up an 8-7 game, though I realize that's not included)?  

He came in vs the Padres down 2-0 and 1-0 and the ALI was .22 and .90.

Those are important innings. 

The Brewers get leads and have pitchers that usually go ~5 innings(I'd guess our starters are close to 5 innings per outing). So a dominant reliever who takes over from there or who can finish out the game...especially in a pitcher you still want to become a starter, I'm alright with it.

Alexander on the other hand, he was used as a starter when we were just trying to get innings and then early in the year before Uribe had established himself AND multiple extra innings games when we were just trying to survive, but far more in blowouts. 

 

But even if you did want to make Ashby a one inning reliever and use him like you use Koenig or Uribe...I don't think that's means you don't try and add another BP arm who can push Mears down a rung on the ladder. 

 

Mostly I just like how he's covering multiple innings, giving the Brewers a chance to add to the lead or in most instances, shutting the other team down so we can come back from a run or two down,  staying healthy and saving the BP more than we were earlier in the season. 

Agree with this. Would it be cool to see Ashby as a 1 inning guy who can really use all his gas and maybe be a power lefty? Yeah it would. But his role now gives the high leverage bullpen guys off days and until yesterday he’s been awesome. They’re using him just fine.

[wiguy94]

5 minutes ago, bm1090 said:

Agree with this. Would it be cool to see Ashby as a 1 inning guy who can really use all his gas and maybe be a power lefty? Yeah it would. But his role now gives the high leverage bullpen guys off days and until yesterday he’s been awesome. They’re using him just fine.

Nobody said Ashby should be used in a 1 inning role and how he's been used has not been giving high leverage guys off because he basically never pitches in leverage hence the second lowest leverage index in the bullpen. They should use Ashby like 2018 Hader as a multi-inning leverage guy.

[StearnsFTW]

On 7/8/2025 at 4:04 PM, wiguy94 said:

They have a power lefty. His name is Aaron Ashby. We just need our manager to stop treating him like he's Tyler Alexander

Ashby has incredible stuff.

But I dont trust him whatsoever.

[wiguy94]

3 minutes ago, StearnsFTW said:

Ashby has incredible stuff.

But I dont trust him whatsoever.

Aaron Ashby in his career as a reliever - 80.2 IP, 2.57 ERA, 2.24 FIP, 33% K-rate, 7% BB-rate, 62% GB-rate. No idea why you wouldn't trust that

[bm1090]

46 minutes ago, wiguy94 said:

Nobody said Ashby should be used in a 1 inning role and how he's been used has not been giving high leverage guys off because he basically never pitches in leverage hence the second lowest leverage index in the bullpen. They should use Ashby like 2018 Hader as a multi-inning leverage guy.

I’d be good with that too. I’m somewhat skeptical he’d succeed. But he’s earned the chance.

edit - saw your post above and you’ve convinced me. I’m in on Ashby being a lite version of 2018 Hader.

[BrewerFan]

2 hours ago, bm1090 said:

Agree with this. Would it be cool to see Ashby as a 1 inning guy who can really use all his gas and maybe be a power lefty? Yeah it would. But his role now gives the high leverage bullpen guys off days and until yesterday he’s been awesome. They’re using him just fine.

Right...and it's not like they're not going to use him more aggressively in a division race or in October. 

He's also been injured for part of the year, and they've clearly had a plan for how to use him in his 12 outs(when this topic started, now 13). I believe they've said that includes starting again in the future. I'd love to see a rotation with Peralta, Misiorowski, Ashby...Henderson, and...hell, take your pick. Patrick, Myers, Gasser, Priester(probably Priester). That's assuming Quintana, Woodruff aren't back. DL Hall needs to stay healthy and lock in. And by next year, there are 3-4 more relievers who should be ready. A guy like Manfredi may be your power lefty or... maybe we claim a guy out of nowhere like Koenig. He's been pretty good for the most part as well.  

 

It's a long season though ...and the one thing Ashby hasn't been able to do recently is stay healthy and on the field for the whole season. I'd imagine that plays a role as well. 

[BrewerFan]

2 hours ago, StearnsFTW said:

Ashby has incredible stuff.

But I dont trust him whatsoever.

You sure it's not just the health you don't trust?

 

He's 27...and I get he was expected to be further along by this point, but we still have several years of team control and he's pretty nasty. 

If he can just...stay healthy and get into a rythem, I absolutely trust him. That 99 MPH sinker and CB? As long as he can stay out there and he's available in the post-season, he should be a big part of this staff.  

[StearnsFTW]

15 hours ago, wiguy94 said:

Aaron Ashby in his career as a reliever - 80.2 IP, 2.57 ERA, 2.24 FIP, 33% K-rate, 7% BB-rate, 62% GB-rate. No idea why you wouldn't trust that

Because every 3rd or 4th outing his command is zero.

[gregmag]

34 minutes ago, StearnsFTW said:

Because every 3rd or 4th outing his command is zero.

I’m never going to tell anyone how to feel about anything. If you don’t feel trust, you don’t feel trust. 
 

But I’m looking at Ashby’s game logs, and I don’t see how they support your factual statement. I’m not sure exactly what you mean by “zero command.”  Catching too much plate and giving up hard contact?  Hits aren’t a perfect proxy for that, but they’re a decent one.  In 13 appearances, Ashby has given up more hits than innings pitched twice.  Runs?  He’s been scored on in three out of 13, although one of those was a single run in two innings Tuesday, not exactly a meltdown.  Walks?  He has walked guys in five appearances. But again, three of those were single walks in two- or three-inning stints. 
 

He was bad on Wednesday vs. LA.  He was bad on June 19 vs. the Cubs. He wasn’t great on Tuesday vs. LA, but his line there (2 2 1 1 1 3) doesn’t say “problem” to me.
 

Maybe he got knocked around in ways that don’t show up in the box scores. (Then again, maybe some of those hits and walks were seeing-eye grounders and blown strike calls.) I think you can fairly say he was bad in the LA series, but only one of his prior 11 appearances was bad. You can fairly say he’s been worse against the two best teams in the league. I just don’t see how you can say his command is zero every three or four appearances.

[JCREW]

1 hour ago, StearnsFTW said:

Because every 3rd or 4th outing his command is zero.

In that LAD game, he couldn't throw his curve for strikes. That happens every now and then. Perhaps "every 3rd or 4th outing" is correct. When he has a game like that, I think Contreras/Haase/Hook/Murphy need to assess that early, have him lean on his Sinker and Slider for the three-batter minimum, and then get him off the mound. 

My worry is that Murphy is too stubborn to make a quick assessment like that. Too often, he has given the appearance of a manager who has a plan that he doesn't want to adjust. 

[wiguy94]

36 minutes ago, JCREW said:

In that LAD game, he couldn't throw his curve for strikes. That happens every now and then. Perhaps "every 3rd or 4th outing" is correct. When he has a game like that, I think Contreras/Haase/Hook/Murphy need to assess that early, have him lean on his Sinker and Slider for the three-batter minimum, and then get him off the mound. 

My worry is that Murphy is too stubborn to make a quick assessment like that. Too often, he has given the appearance of a manager who has a plan that he doesn't want to adjust. 

He was also pitching on 1 day rest after throwing 39 pitches and taking a hard comebacker off this throwing hand. He really should have never been out there on Wednesday. 

[JCREW]

1 minute ago, wiguy94 said:

He was also pitching on 1 day rest after throwing 39 pitches and taking a hard comebacker off this throwing hand. He really should have never been out there on Wednesday. 

Good point. It also underscores that I am more confident in Ashby than I am in Murphy knowing what to do with Ashby.

[StearnsFTW]

Just to be clear, i love Ashby and realize how electric he is.

 

I'm just not there with him yet.

 

[Underachiever]

1 hour ago, StearnsFTW said:

Just to be clear, i love Ashby and realize how electric he is.

 

I'm just not there with him yet.

 

Same. 

[sveumrules]

The Progression of Priester...

2023-24 (99 IP)
142 ERA- | 134 FIP-
68 K+ | 106 BB+ | 145 HR+
113 AVG+ | 128 GB+
(getting a lot of ground balls, but too many were going for hits. balls in the air were over the fence, not striking anyone out. poor run prevention and peripherals.)

2025 (94 IP)
82 ERA- | 98 FIP-
94 K+ | 97 BB+ | 94 HR+
94 AVG+ | 137 GB+
(ground ball rate up, and now they are turning into outs. lurking around average-ish peripherally, but that is a huge improvement from where he was.)

First Six 2025 (28 IP)
125 ERA- | 125 FIP-
70 K+ | 172 BB+ | 86 HR+
103 AVG+ | 137 GB+
(holy walk rate, batman.)

Middle Six 2025 (33 IP)
60 ERA- | 87 FIP-
84 K+ | 65 BB+ | 73 HR+
89 AVG+ | 136 GB+
(amazing what happens when one cuts their walk rate from 72% above league average to 35% below league average while making incremental gains in K and HR rate too.)

Recent Six 2025 (33 IP)
67 ERA- | 85 FIP-
127 K+ | 53 BB+ | 122 HR+
91 AVG+ | 138 GB+
(now, with strikeouts. HR rate is really the only thing gumming up the works to any extent over the last six appearances, but a 66 xFIP- indicates he's probably had some bad luck in that regard.)

[sveumrules]

Here's a fun comparison...

2007 Brandon Webb (236 IP)
64 ERA- | 70 FIP-
116 K+ | 86 BB+ | 44 HR+
89 AVG+ | 143 GB+

Last 10 Games Priester (56 IP)
59 ERA- | 77 FIP-
114 K+ | 53 BB+ | 87 HR+
91 AVG+ | 144 GB+

Webb with a big advantage limiting homers, Priester with a not quite as big of an edge limiting walks, otherwise pretty dang close across the board on a rate stat basis.

I wouldn't expect Priester to keep things up at quite this level, but even getting fifty some innings of prime Brandon Webb is been pretty dang cool.

[RedStickBrew]

7 minutes ago, sveumrules said:

Here's a fun comparison...

2007 Brandon Webb (236 IP)
64 ERA- | 70 FIP-
116 K+ | 86 BB+ | 44 HR+
89 AVG+ | 143 GB+

Last 10 Games Priester (56 IP)
59 ERA- | 77 FIP-
114 K+ | 53 BB+ | 87 HR+
91 AVG+ | 144 GB+

Webb with a big advantage limiting homers, Priester with a not quite as big of an edge limiting walks, otherwise pretty dang close across the board on a rate stat basis.

I wouldn't expect Priester to keep things up at quite this level, but even getting fifty some innings of prime Brandon Webb is been pretty dang cool.

In 2007 Webb was a 28 year old all-star, ace of staff. Priester at 24 is just getting started and still learning how to pitch in the MLB. Hopefully he still has some room for growth and sustained improvement 

[LouisEly]

That comeback sinker last night was absolutely filthy.  A poor-man's Greg Maddux at 5-7 mph faster.

Coupling that with just an average cutter, if he can tunnel those well, will be a nightmare for hitters.