Brewers Showing Gamesmanship With Latest Quinn Priester Update

The Milwaukee Brewers are ready to pull all the levers required to ensure a Game 2 victory over the Chicago Cubs.

Both teams had a day off to reset their bullpens after Milwaukee's 9-3 trouncing of Chicago in Game 1. In response to Cubs first baseman Michael Busch's leadoff home run on Saturday, manager Pat Murphy announced lefty Aaron Ashby as the Brewers' opener for Game 2.

After his 13-3 debut season in Milwaukee, Quinn Priester seems like the obvious candidate to relieve Ashby and take on the bulk innings of Monday night's contest. However, Murphy isn't ready to tip his hand.

Pat Murphy not revealing pitching plan after Ashby

Sep 14, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Aaron Ashby (26) throws against the St. Louis Cardinals in the fifth inning at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

In response to a question about the Brewers' plans to relieve Ashby on Sunday, Murphy declined to state who might enter the game, including Priester.

"Now you want to know who's pitching and who's coming in the game after that?” Murphy quipped, per Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. “Do you want to know who's substituting in the fifth inning?”

It will first be interesting to see how the Cubs structure their lineup to face Ashby, who was lefties' kryptonite this season. It would make sense to try and get two innings out of him if Chicago puts lefties like Busch or Kyle Tucker a few spots lower in the order, assuming he gets through a clean first frame.

But Priester has to at least be a prominent option for the Brewers, if not the plan altogether. Two innings of Ashby and four or five of Priester would present an ideal path to one or two final high-leverage arms to lock up a potential 2-0 lead.

Of note, Priester had his worst outing of the season against this Cubs offense back in May. But to hear Murphy tell it, that outing also unlocked the best version of the 25-year-old.

"The Cubs blistered this guy, and he wanted to continue pitching and his competitive nature came out,” Murphy said, per McCalvy. “I think that failure, if you will, for him launched him into open ears. ‘OK, how do I figure this out?’ And we got the best version of him because of his competitive nature. We got the best version of him going forward, and it's been miraculous. He's been sensational for us.”

Every plan can change in an instant, but it will be exciting for Brewers fans to find out how involved Priester will or will not be on Monday night.

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