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Quinn Priester Undergoes First-Rib Surgery, Ends 2026 Season

6/19/2026

33 4 Full Breakdown

Summary

Priester Surgery

Quinn Priester will have thoracic outlet decompression surgery on Monday in Dallas, where Dr. Gregory Pearl will remove his first rib, ending his 2026 season.
Priester expects an eight-to-10-month recovery and aims to return Feb-Apr 2027 for a rotation spot.
He was 13-3 with a 3.32 ERA over 157 1/3 innings in 2025; posted a 15.75 ERA, 24 walks in 16 innings after a March 13 neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome diagnosis.

Summary

Priester Battles Recovery

Priester said his recovery is a mental challenge because uncontrollable performance drops erode confidence.
His uncle Paul, a vascular surgeon, gave medical guidance throughout the diagnostic process.
The Brewers employed scraping, needling, cupping, hot-tub sessions and blood-flow-restriction machines before opting for surgery.
Even after pain-free nerve blocks, Priester’s command and proprioception remained impaired, limiting mound consistency.

History

Historical Context

In 2005 MLB introduced the Comeback Player of the Year award, signaling a new focus on restoring injured talent. The move coincided with a rise in high-profile elbow procedures, exemplified by Francisco Liriano’s 2007 Tommy John surgery and Tim Hudson’s 2008 reconstruction, illustrating teams’ growing investment in specialized medical resources and orthopedics.

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Priester Surgery

Quinn Priester will have thoracic outlet decompression surgery on Monday in Dallas, where Dr. Gregory Pearl will remove his first rib, ending his 2026 season.
Priester expects an eight-to-10-month recovery and aims to return Feb-Apr 2027 for a rotation spot.
He was 13-3 with a 3.32 ERA over 157 1/3 innings in 2025; posted a 15.75 ERA, 24 walks in 16 innings after a March 13 neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome diagnosis.

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