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Milwaukee Brewers: Starting Rotation Still Concerning, but Young Pitchers Present Bright Future

Originally posted on WI Sports Heroics | By Robin M Adams | Last updated Apr 8, 2025 12:16 PM ET

The Milwaukee Brewers are 5-5 on the season following a successful homestand that saw them go 5-2 after starting the year 0-3 on the road against the New York Yankees. Indeed, the Brewers have had to overcome much adversity already in the early days of the season because of the concerning number of injuries to their starting pitchers.

When the season began in New York, Milwaukee only had three healthy starting pitchers: Freddy Peralta, Nestor Cortes, and Aaron Civale. Unfortunately, Civale strained his hamstring in his start against the Yankees, and Cortes hurt his elbow in his start against the Cincinnati Reds. Both are now on the injured list.

Of course, they join Aaron Ashby, DL Hall, Nick Mears, and Brandon Woodruff, who were all placed on the injured list before the season began.

The Milwaukee Brewers Traded for Quinn Priester from the Boston Red Sox

With the injuries to Civale and Cortes, Peralta remains as the only projected starter left healthy on the roster. Indeed, it is concerning that, for the second year in a row, the Brewers have seen multiple starting pitchers suffer injuries before the season begins, or early in the year.

Due to the amount of injuries, Milwaukee acquired Quinn Priester, a right-handed starter, from the Boston Red Sox in a trade on Monday. The Brewers sent Yophery Rodriguez, a draft pick, a player to be named later, and cash to the Red Sox in the deal.

In 21 Major League games, 15 starts, in his career, Priester is 6-9 with a 6.23 ERA. In six minor league seasons, he is 26-17 with a 3.61 ERA.

Priester is joining the Brewers’ Major League roster.

The Milwaukee Brewers Starting Rotation Is Taking Shape with Reinforcements

The addition of Priester comes at a time when Milwaukee desperately needs starting pitching. Fortunately, they are getting help in that department soon in the form of their own players returning from injury as well.

Jose Quintana, who accepted an assignment to the minors for extended spring training, is eligible to join the club on Friday of this week. Nick Mears, who started the season on the injured list due to intense weight loss from an illness, is also going to be back soon.

Chad Patrick, who was nearly optioned to Triple-A before the season started, has pitched well in his first two career starts. Last year, he was the Brewers’ minor league pitcher of the year after going 14-1 with a 2.90 ERA.

By the end of the week, then, Milwaukee will have a starting rotation that consists of Peralta, Quintana, Patrick, and Priester.

It will be interesting to see how that changes when Woodruff, Tobias Meyers, and Ashby get healthy.

This article first appeared on WI Sports Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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