Brewers’ Postseason Pitching Responsibilities Now Fall on Quinn Priester’s Shoulders

On April 7, amid a minor starting rotation crisis, the Milwaukee Brewers made another of their patented, seemingly mysterious moves. They acquired Quinn Priester from the Red Sox, in exchange for outfield prospect Yophery Rodriguez and a Competitive Balance Round A draft pick in this summer's MLB Draft. There were mixed reactions to the move. Many of our very own readers considered it an overpay, a sensible opinion at the time. Priester had struggled to find his footing in the big leagues after two seasons, posting a 6.23 ERA over 99 ⅔ innings mostly spent with the Pirates. Meanwhile, Rodriguez was the organization's 11th-ranked prospect in 2024 and had posted a respectable 112 wRC+ with Low-A Carolina at just 18 years old. With a draft pick thrown in to sweeten the pot for Boston, it seemed like Matt Arnold had finally gone one step too far.

Fast-forward to today, and the deal has become another galaxy-brain win for Milwaukee’s front office. Rodriguez posted a lackluster 92 wRC+ in his first full season in High A, while Priester has pitched to a 3.25 ERA over 152 ⅓ innings and is the second-most valuable pitcher on the team, behind Cy Young contender Freddy Peralta. None of his Statcast metrics obviously stand out (besides his 95th-percentile ground ball rate), but somehow, the Brewers have molded him into one of the best starting pitchers around.

The team’s ticket to the postseason was officially punched all the way back on September 13, but that doesn’t guarantee an easy road ahead of them. The way the playoff bracket is shaping up, they’ll face either the Padres or the Cubs in the Division Series. Those are two teams that have given Milwaukee trouble this year. To make matters worse, the injury bug has returned at the worst possible time.

It was recently announced that Brandon Woodruff could be done for the season due to a lat strain, marking the third consecutive year they’d be without him in the playoffs. We're still waiting to hear what Woodruff's shoulder surgeon recommended after a consultation on Tuesday. Although not as impactful, the team also saw Jose Quintana go down with a calf strain, marking an end to his regular season and bringing his postseason eligibility into question. Jacob Misiorowski isn’t currently injured, but has looked like a much shakier version of his former self since returning from the injured list in August, regressing enough for the team to consider a bullpen role for him come October.

The Brewers have yet to decide on a postseason rotation, but at this point, it’s probable that Priester will be the No. 2 arm. It’s a lot of pressure for the 25-year-old, but over 28 outings, he has consistently demonstrated the ability to be great. His recent start against the Angels on September 18 saw him strike out 10 players in 5 ⅔ innings, while giving up just three hits. He has also had two other starts with 10 or more strikeouts and zero earned runs.

Not only has he been performing well, but he's brought the team up with him. His last outing marked the Brewers’ 19th consecutive victory with him on the mound, an outrageous feat that demonstrates just how much he can help the team win. 

Hindsight is always 20/20, but it’s almost humbling to reflect on how much he has exceeded expectations. It has become a recent trend for Milwaukee to bring the best out of unassuming talents, like Caleb Durbin, Brice Turang, Tobias Myers, Isaac Collins, Sal Frelick, and a litany of other players who have now been traded away to minimize the franchise’s financial responsibilities. Priester isn’t so much the exception as he is the new rule for the team. He has a tough assignment ahead of him, but with a full regular season under his belt, his résumé now speaks for itself—and it says that no one is ever allowed to doubt the Brewers’ front office ever again.