How Quinn Priester's season-ending surgery impacts Brewers' trade deadline strategy

When the Milwaukee Brewers traded ace Freddy Peralta to the New York Mets back in mid-February, they were undoubtedly expecting 2025 breakout right-hander Quinn Priester to assume an even larger role in the starting rotation than he did last season. After posting a 3.32 ERA and an MLB-best .833 winning percentage in 2025, Priester was expected to be an important piece, if not the Opening Day starter, of Milwaukee's rotation in 2026.

Unfortunately, without publicizing the injury at the time, Priester started dealing with a thoracic outlet syndrome-related ailment last August, which caused pain throughout his right arm down the stretch of the 2025 campaign. The issue persisted in the offseason and carried into Spring Training of 2026. When Priester arrived to camp in February, it became apparent that the Brewers' right-hander was dealing with an injury that could end up being rather severe. However, at the time, optimism remained that Priester would be able to recover from the injury without surgery and would therefore rejoin the Brewers' rotation at some point in 2026.

That possibility was eliminated just yesterday when the Brewers announced that Priester will undergo rib removal surgery this coming Monday to officially put the nerve issue behind him. The surgery requires an 8-10 month recovery period, meaning Priester will officially miss the remainder of the 2026 season, but will hopefully return to full strength in time for the 2027 campaign.

While the decision is wise in that it prioritizes the 25-year-old Priester's long-term health and value, it's tough to stomach for the Brew Crew in the short term. Milwaukee appears to once again be contenders for a National League pennant, and the absence of Priester only makes that goal more difficult. Thankfully, the candidates to be dealt at the 2026 trade deadline include plenty of starting pitchers who could, in theory, replace the role that Milwaukee expected Priester to fill if he was able to return from his TOS injury before the end of the 2026 campaign.

While the injury doesn't necessarily guarantee that the Brewers will suddenly be the frontrunners for Detroit Tigers' ace Tarik Skubal, it does emphasize a reality that Milwaukee knew they faced regardless of Priester's eventual diagnosis: to finally get over the hump and reach the World Series for the first time since 1982, Milwaukee will need a third dominant starter alongside Jacob Misiorowski and Kyle Harrison.

One way or another, the Brewers will need a third starter alongside Misiorowski and Harrison to dethrone the Dodgers in the NL

To some extent, the Brewers weren't expecting to immediately be NL contenders in 2026. Sure, the organization always had confidence in Misiorowski, and clearly believed in the abilities of Harrison, but to expect them both to be All-Star caliber, or dare I say Cy Young-caliber, starters through the first half of the 2026 season would have been irrational. The Brewers were betting on the long-term value of both starters, but didn't necessarily expect them to form a formidable one-two punch at the top of their rotation in 2026.

However, entering play on June 19, that's the reality that the Brewers face. With Miz and Harrison at the top of their rotation and an offense that is a perfect blend of up-and-coming stars like Brice Turang and Jackson Chourio, and veteran leaders whose Brewers tenures will soon come to an end like Christian Yelich and William Contreras, 2026 has suddenly emerged as a season in which Milwaukee could legitmately make a run at a World Series title once again.

That said, there's still one glaring component missing from the Brewers' roster if they want to realistically have a chance of dethroning the mighty Los Angeles Dodgers or the resurgent Atlanta Braves in the National League: a clear No. 3 starting pitcher. Miz and Harrison have seemingly established themselves as two starters who could take the ball for the Brewers in game one and two of a postseason series, but questions still remain in regard to who Milwaukee would turn to in game three.

Prior to Priester's injury, it remained a possibility that the 2025 breakout starter would eventually become Milwaukee's third option in the rotation in 2026, but his decision to undergo season-ending surgery clearly eliminates that chance. However, just because Priester is no longer an option to be Milwaukee's No. 3 starter down the stretch, doesn't mean the Brewers won't fill the spot with an internal option. Should veteran right-hander Brandon Woodruff prove he still has what it takes to be a third option in a contending team's rotation, or rookie right-handers Logan Henderson and Brandon Sproat assume the role, Milwaukee won't have to look externally at the midseason trade deadline for an arm who can propel them into the "NL favorites" category.

That said, if Woodruff, whose early-season injury concerns don't necessarily instill confidence that he will be a reliable option down the stretch, or Sproat and Henderson, whose inexperience doesn't scream "postseason starter," do not turn out to fit the bill, it may become necessary for the Brewers to explore the trade market. Trade options like veteran right-hander Sonny Gray of the Boston Red Sox, Minnesota Twins ace Joe Ryan, and former Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara of the Miami Marlins are all certainly possibilities, in addition to dream deadline acquisition Tarik Skubal. However, pursuing such an impact trade acquisition isn't necessarily the Brewers' style.

One way or another, if Milwaukee wants to emerge as the favorites to win the National League in October, they will need a reliable third starter to accompany Miz and Harrison in their rotation. Whether or not that starter is currently a member of the Brewers' 40-man roster remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the season-ending injury to 2025 breakout hurler Quinn Priester eliminates one internal option from the running.

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