Brewers trade for RHP Quinn Priester

[sveumrules]

2 hours ago, biedergb said:

The big difference is the age

Another pretty big difference is that Priester has a 57.8% ground ball rate (5th among 88 pitchers min. 100 IP this year). Lauer was more of a fly ball pitcher with a 41.4% fly ball rate that ranked 31st of 129 pitchers with at least 100 IP in 2021. Eric only induced ground balls at a 35.8% clip that ranked 107th.

Younger righty ground ball specialist vs older lefty fly ball guy, sounds like the only thing they really have in common is being Brewers pitchers acquired via trade.

[Playing Catch]

32 minutes ago, sveumrules said:

Another pretty big difference is that Priester has a 57.8% ground ball rate (5th among 88 pitchers min. 100 IP this year). Lauer was more of a fly ball pitcher with a 41.4% fly ball rate that ranked 31st of 129 pitchers with at least 100 IP in 2021. Eric only induced ground balls at a 35.8% clip that ranked 107th.

Younger righty ground ball specialist vs older lefty fly ball guy, sounds like the only thing they really have in common is being Brewers pitchers acquired via trade.

Also, Lauer threw a "zoom-ball". Priester just throws more cutters.

[adambr2]

1 hour ago, Team Canada said:

To be fair, he wasn't good in AAA or KBO last year either, and teams can't wait around for 2 years to see if someone figures it out, so I don't begrudge the Brewers moving on, and we have our own problem of too many good pitchers now anyway. :) 

I'm glad he somehow figured it out this year and is having success.

Yep. Another thing to keep in mind is that we waived Lauer before outrighting him. Every team in baseball could have had him for no compensation, just pay him, and every team in baseball chose not to.

There will always occasionally be guys that, for whatever reason, things don’t click here long-term and they end up figuring it out elsewhere. It’s usually the other way around, but other teams have professionals who are trying to do the same things we are. Sometimes, it clicks elsewhere, and that’s ok. We’re too good of a team to have a ton of patience with everyone, and that’s a good thing.

In general, our track record says pitchers are more likely to come here and get right, than have it happen elsewhere. For those that the reverse is true, I congratulate them on their success and wish them the best.

[biedergb]

2 minutes ago, adambr2 said:

In general, our track record says pitchers are more likely to come here and get right

That is partly my worry with guys who seem to develop "out of nowhere" - the Brewers have done an excellent job of maximizing players/pitchers, almost to a fault. Partly due to league changes (players in and out much faster than like the '80s/'90s), partly age (trying to obtain players in the 23-28 yo window), and partly due to the organizational approach of maximizing the talents, many do not have sustained success, but a lot of them have their best years with the Brewers. Lauer is the pitcher who gives me that PTSD when I try to dream big. That's maybe why I made that post as I am starting to like what Priester gives. 

And to @sveumrules - right different styles of pitchers. And Lauer's success really happened with an increase in velocity which led to more K, and he was a fly ball pitcher. I think he never got that velocity back and that was one of the primary reasons he really fell back down hard if I remember correctly. Priester doesn't' rely on the K, but also may rely on grounders and elite defense.

[SRB]

Is Lauer really PTSD worthy? Had two great seasons for us (3.19 ERA and 3.69 ERA), a bad half season in 2023, went to Korea, and is back in Toronto having a fantastic season (2.59 ERA in 80.0 IP). Lauer has been significantly better than even Priester this season.

[adambr2]

8 minutes ago, SRB said:

Is Lauer really PTSD worthy? Had two great seasons for us (3.19 ERA and 3.69 ERA), a bad half season in 2023, went to Korea, and is back in Toronto having a fantastic season (2.59 ERA in 80.0 IP). Lauer has been significantly better than even Priester this season.

It seems like you started off this post with one point and then changed your mind on it by the end of it.

[wiguy94]

3 hours ago, biedergb said:

Can I be the debbie downer - I keep having Eric Lauer PTSD with Quinn Priester - came out of no where and have put together a great season, and if you look at Priester's season to date, it is almost a mirror reflection of Lauer's 2021 break out year. The big difference is the age - Priester is 24, and Lauer had his break out at age 26. But those two years are strikingly similar (Lauer more K and more HRs, Priester really more IP/game pitched).

Still another 1.5-2 WAR season by Priester next year like Lauer would still make this trade a clear cut win, but hoping that Priester doesn't turn into a pumpkin again next season.

The Brewers do excel at getting the best 1-2 years out a player (see Lauer, Hudson, Myers as recent pitching examples, and guys like Wong, Urias, Renfroe as hitters).

I was wrong about the trade, and I am happy to be wrong about this, but a lot of players flash and give us fans a great 1-2 years, but fewer have sustained it. (For the record I was wrong about Burnes' break out in 2020 and that didn't age well the next season, so I ain't too good at this predicting thing)

Lauer and Priester were very differently viewed pitchers coming up. Both were 1st round picks but Priester came with a lot more prospect pedigree than Lauer. Priester was pretty much a consensus Top 100 prospect for multiple years before debuting while Lauer was more in the teens in a Top 30 org guy.

Priester had good marks for breaking pitches and command but his FB lagged behind which is why he struggled once he got to MLB. He doesn't even throw a four seamer anymore ditching it completely for more sinker usage and his new cutter which is an improving pitch. 

Priester before June 10th - 13% cutter usage, 11 G, 55.2 IP, 3.88 ERA, 4.09 xERA, 4.62 FIP, 4.43 xFIP, 4.71 SIERA, 15% K-rate, 11% BB-rate

Priester starting June 10th - 22% cutter usage, 10 G, 58.2 IP, 2.45 ERA, 3.15 xERA, 3.44 FIP, 3.11 xFIP, 3.20 SIERA, 24% K-rate, 5% BB-rate

[Jim Goulart]

 

[gregmag]

On 8/6/2025 at 10:32 AM, Team Canada said:

To be fair, he wasn't good in AAA or KBO last year either, and teams can't wait around for 2 years to see if someone figures it out, so I don't begrudge the Brewers moving on, and we have our own problem of too many good pitchers now anyway. :) 

I'm glad he somehow figured it out this year and is having success.

If we give up on a guy, I don’t mind too much if he has one good year or half year and then is never heard from again (Lucroy, probably David Fry) or if he stinks before he gets better (Lauer, Houser). Or if he gets expensive, or if I love the guy we traded him for (JJ Hardy) . . . I guess I usually don’t mind when we give up on guys. One of the rare recent exceptions is Grisham, whom we traded to get Lauer.

[Outlander]

Since Matt Arnold is starting to receive more criticism for his deadline deals I have to continue to give him praise for this deal. A great combination of helping this current team tremendously and still having 5 more controlled years. They lost some prospects but odds are they never accomplish what Priester will do for the Brewers.

I know people don't really care about pitcher wins anymore but he is a stopper of losing streaks. Brewers have won the last 17 games he has appeared in dating back to May 30th. Looking forward to seeing what he does in the playoffs.

[young guns]

Anyone have an idea what the record is for win streak for a starter?  I'd imagine someone like Gagne might be it overall since I think he holds the record for consecutive saves.

[Samurai Bucky]

37 minutes ago, young guns said:

Anyone have an idea what the record is for win streak for a starter?  I'd imagine someone like Gagne might be it overall since I think he holds the record for consecutive saves.

Copilot is my friend... 😉

🏆 Carl Hubbell’s Legendary Streak

• Wins: 24 straight (21 as a starter, 3 in relief)
• ERA during streak: ~1.66
• Complete Games: 13
• Team Impact: Helped lead the New York Giants to the 1936 NL pennant
• Nickname: “The Meal Ticket” — earned in part due to this streak

During the modern era:

Gerrit Cole:  20 games between the Astros and Yankees in 2020
Jake Arrieta:  20 games in 2015 - 2016
Johan Santana: 17 in 2004 - 2005
Roger Clemens:  16 in 1986
 

https://www.mlb.com/news/the-longest-pitcher-win-streaks-in-mlb-history

[young guns]

It might be difficult to figure out, but that list seems to be pitcher wins in a row without recording a personal loss, so leaving as not the pitcher of record and the team losing wouldn't count against you.

"Clemens needed a little luck along the way, escaping with a no-decision in seven different starts"

The streak priester is on feels a little more special because even if he doesn't get credit for the win, the team still does win.

 

Using the article as a springboard, looks like it might be Arrietta with 23 followed by Hubbell with 22 if you don't include a game he pitched the final 5 frames or 23 if you do include it.  Since Quinn has had a couple where he came in the 4th inning, I'd say count it, but its still getting pretty close unless there was another who just wasn't lucky at picking up the wins.  Btw, I believe 3rd on the list was 15 so he's passed that.