Right-hander Quinn Priester is expected to make his debut with the big league Red Sox tomorrow, according to a report from MassLive’s Christopher Smith. Smith notes that Priester is currently with the club’s taxi squad and could be promoted to the majors to start tomorrow’s season finale against the Rays.
Priester, 24, was acquired from the Pirates ahead of the trade deadline in exchange for infield prospect Nick Yorke. The pair of youngsters were in similar places in their careers as former top-100 prospects whose stars had lost a bit of shine in recent years but were knocking on the door of the big leagues. Priester already had 94 2/3 innings of work under his belt with Pittsburgh in the majors, while Yorke had not yet made his big league debut but had raked in 38 games at the Triple-A level with a promotion appearing to be imminent.
Since then, Yorke has made that debut with the Pirates and gone 7-for-31 with a home run, two steals, and two walks in his first nine-games as a big league hitter. Now Priester appears poised to make his own first appearance with his new club in the majors, with Alex Cora suggesting to reporters today that there’s “a good chance” he’ll make tomorrow’s start. In debuting with the Red Sox, Priester figures to flash improved velocity relative to his time with the Pirates as Smith notes he averaged a full tick higher on his fastball in his start at Triple-A last week as compared to his velocity with the Pirates earlier this year.
The Red Sox are surely hoping that the mechanical fixes coaches have made to Priester’s delivery that resulted in that jump in velocity will also show in his results at the big league level heading into 2025. After all, the righty struggled to a 5.04 ERA (84 ERA+) with a 4.82 ERA in his 44 2/3 innings of work with Pittsburgh this year after putting up even worse numbers in the majors back in 2023. Fortunately, Priester has seemingly settled in with the Red Sox organization after a disastrous first start with the club’s Triple-A affiliate to the point where he’s putting up solid results, as evidenced by his 3.75 ERA and 26.2% strikeout rate in his last eight starts.
It would be an exciting development for Boston if Priester were to work his way into the club’s 2025 rotation plans. The club’s 3.77 ERA in the rotation is a top-5 figure in the majors this year thanks in larger part to a breakout year for right-hander Tanner Houck, but veteran hurler Nick Pivetta is slated to reach free agency this offseason and leave the Red Sox with just Houck, Kutter Crawford, and Brayan Bello in the rotation headed into next year. Lucas Giolito and Garrett Whitlock are both expected back from the injured list in 2025 after lost seasons in 2024, but it’s not yet clear whether either hurler will be ready for Opening Day, leaving the Red Sox to potentially lean on depth options like Cooper Criswell, Richard Fitts, and Priester early in the season if they don’t bolster the rotation in free agency.
Great news.
Hayzee – Agreed! I’ve been wanting this to happen for a while. Perfect low pressure opportunity to get his feet wet and see what he’s got.
Hope they win it for Joe!
As a Pirates fan who’s familiar with him, you’ll see one of 2 versions of Priester. If he has it, which is rare, he’ll shut a team down. If he doesn’t, the game with get away from him quickly. I’ve yet to see him have average stuff and battle.
If he has it, he’ll be dominant for 3-4 innings before he falls apart. My gripe with him was always that he tends to pitch like a mannequin would. That should play well in Boston
always – You’ve basically just described Pivetta as well.
Quite often he’ll have dominant no-hit stuff, and when he doesn’t have it he gets hit very hard especially with the homerun ball.
Bailey usually gets good results out of his pitchers when he first works with them, so we shall see ….
Fever- Will ditto that with Fitts as well. It seemed to me like his velo was up moreso after being fully indocrinated into whatever it is the Bailey led pitching system is feeding into some of these kids and a bit more bite on some pitches (sliders/sweepers) many have mentioned, along with new pitches, which has led to potential breakouts in the case of Fitts (splitter).
Priester did look not so well his 1st few starts after the trade, imagine many, like myself who eagerly awaited his 1st woo-sox start were disapointed as he was hammered, likely after he was crash coursed in what they wanted him to change, but have noticed changes in games along the way and the way he has had the small velo increase which he’s pretty much maintained game wise.
If he gets the go ahead tomorrow, look for hom to sit a tick below Fitts velo wise. Don’t believe myself his upside is quite the same, but he’s got back ender upside.
As a Bucs fan who has seen him pitch a handful of times I hope Priester’s velocity increase is sustainable and better yet if he’s able to gain a little more. He has a decent arsenal of pitches but no real standout, put away type pitch. When he’s sitting 92-94 he can get hammered if his control is a bit off and batters capitalize on some meatballs. If he’s at 94-96 then he should get a few more pop ups and grounders on balls over the middle of the plate and be a reliable back end starter.
hayzee – This was yesterday’s news actually. I should start sending info to Nick when I receive it. LOL!!
A priest, a minister, and a rabbit walk into a bar. The rabbit looks around and says, “I think I’m a typo.”
A Priester, a minister, and a rabbi walk into a bar. The pitcher looks around and says, “I think I’m a typo !!”
A typo, a typo, and a typo walk into a bar.
It’s Bar Autocorrect.
Termite: “Is the bar tender here?”
Priester is the best of the three “depth options”, and I’m looking forward to seeing him pitch. That said, they should sign five veterans for the rotation and keep the optionable prospects in the minors as depth. They will get their chances for sure.
Tff – I certainly prefer these three over the likes of Anderson, Paxton, Keller and Hill … who BTW has been in the radio booth for much of today’s game.
in fairness Priester should be more than simply a depth option next season regardless of what happens with Giolito. Hopefully Whitlock will be back in the pen full time as well.
Whitlock should close
Whitlock should be the 7th inning guy. Unless we can’t find a new Martin maybe he’s the 8th inning guy?
Set up or close either one but unless they have a closer I would use him there…. Pray they don’t try the often failed closer by committee .
Priester has potential to be a good pitcher. But keeping his signature pitch, a sinker out of the middle of the plate is his biggest challenge
He’s coming off of a good streak in the minors. Hopefully someone in the Breslow crew coached him up a little.
Quinn Priester? You bet he did. On Charlotte’s Web of course.
Priester can be solid but once he’s through the lineup once he starts to get into trouble
Pirates fan here,he potentially is solid 3 or2! He’s got go stuff! Didn’t think he got fair shake with Pirates. Their loss,I liked the potential .
I think this will be a better version of Tyler Glasnow. Better health and will get better pitching as time goes on. I think Pittsburgh gave up on him way too quickly. I was bummed about the trade when it happened. But if Yorke lives up to his hype or former hype, this trade would not be horrible or bad in anyway. Sure I am bummed for losing Priester, but the Pirates need offense in a bad way. So if Yorke helps provide that, it’s a win for BC and the Pirates. I just hope that Priester becomes the top of the rotation piece Pittsburgh once sought him to be. Just so the naysayers yinzers in Pittsburgh can cry and complain about another pitcher leaving and becoming something great. Like Charlie Morton, Gerrit Cole, Tyler Glasnow, Jameson Tallion, Chase Anderson, and so on. Some Pittsburgh fans are quick to throw players under the bus if they don’t come out of the gate on fire. So I laugh the comedy that happens afterwards when a guy performs fairy well away from Pittsburgh. If the greats like Randy Johnson and Greg Maddox had 3-5 years of struggles at the start of their careers. Then it clicked for them. It will happen with Priester and I hope he becomes a life long Red Sox
Pirates – I think it’s more a case of needing to give up talent to get talent, rather than the Bucs giving up on Priester …. and many believe Yorke was a big overpay.
And on behalf of Red Sox Nation, I can say with certainty some so-called Sox “fans” here give up on players just as fast. It’s comical, really, how fast they jump on and off bandwagons. No loyalty whatsoever, no ability to look beyond the analytics. When the player performs well, they want the player signed to a longterm contract immediately. And when the player struggles, they want the player gone immediately.
But I’ve muted most of those fake fans so life is good :O)
Eh, when Glasnow pitched, you could always see the stuff of an elite arm, sitting mid-upper-90s with a great breaking ball. Priester never showed that off. He’s shown a decent curveball, but a sinker in the 92-94 MPH range. Everything sat between a 45-55 grade level. When we traded Glasnow, he was a power arm with a very high ceiling and was a change-of-scenery candidate. When the Pirates traded Priester, he projected as a 4/5 starter. Plus if it meant getting Yorke, so be it. He’s looked solid so far.
I don’t know who complained about Priester being traded. Pitching might be the only area that the Pirates have great depth in the minors. And as for the former Bucs who’ve done well elsewhere, it speaks to their inability to develop again, doesn’t it? I hope the kid does well in Boston as I would any young player.
You’re right, he has good stuff. But it always seemed to me that he went to pieces at the first signs of trouble. Nothing new there where young pitchers are concerned. But the best pitching coaches also work on the psyche of young pitchers. If Boston has competent pitching coaches, one would think overcoming bumps in the road was a teaching point
Dude – Well, Bello is just as you described ….. goes to pieces at the first sign of trouble.
He has been better the past month, time will tell if Boston’s coaches have fixed his psyche.
I’ve been a pirate fan since 1966. Yea I know the team sucks. That’s Nutjob Nuttings fault, Cherry Picker Cherringtons fault and the biggest loser MORON manager Sheltons fault.
True there are hardcore pirate fans…also there are the bandwagon ones. But in general the NEW core pirate fans SUCK.
Now about priester, I hope the kid flourishes in a new environment. Yorke is looking like a major leaguer. I was always pulling for priester to flourish in Pittsburgh, but with current management, forget it. From top to bottom, this management team has dropped this once great franchise into a laughing stock.
@New Bucco gives a more reason for the front office to step in and can Haines. If Shelton opposes it, can him too. The window of opportunity is small and starts today (figuratively speaking). If the front office and owner doesn’t capitalise on this pitching next season, then they aren’t ever going to be a competitive team or organisation. By then, I seriously hope MLBPA and MLB seriously takes a huge look at the ownership. MLB has pulled teams from owners/cities for corruption or abuse to the city and fan base. It’s is evidently clear, this ownership has abused MLB policies and manipulation players, fans, and the city of Pittsburgh. Bob Nutting treats the Pirates as a tourist attraction and destination. He reps the rewards and having Paul Skenes on the club, is the golden ticket for Bob. I’ve been a die hard fan and supporter of the Pirates since I was a child. I hardly bash the organisation and owner, but it’s coming to the point that I can’t take another losing season and rebuild. We have been through enough these last nearly 40 years. It’s time for Nutting to put up or shut up and sell the team.
no worries here at all. Henry will approve Breslow to add a SP or 2 coming off rehab and willing to taker a 1 year deal. need to keep rotation spots for our crop of top SP prospects close to MLB ready. oh wait……
Priester should be a decent #4 starter for the Red Sox and this Pirate fan wishes him the best.His comp would be Nick Pivetta.
Come on Redsox win.. come on Redsox win.. we’re all….. hoping for the mighty Quinn!!!
Olm – Wait a minute, which Quinn?
Please don’t say Buckner!!
But at least Quinn Buckner has a ring.
If Priester doesn’t work out then the Sale deal becomes even more of a disaster. The only reason they traded Yorke was because they created a logjam when they acquired Grissom. Now Yorke might stick and Grissom could fizzle out.
or Grissom might stick and Yorke could fizzle out
That’s a lot of fizzle.