The Milwaukee Brewers' clubhouse at Busch Stadium had a few familiar faces returning on May 4, but one pitcher's comeback hit an unexpected snag. While outfield Jackson Chourio and first baseman Andrew Vaughn were activated from the injured list as expected, right-hander Quinn Priester found himself back on the IL after a frustrating rehab assignment.

Priester, 25, has yet to make his 2026 debut while recovering from thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS)—a condition that compresses nerves and can severely impact a pitcher's shoulder and neck. His first three rehab starts were anything but promising. Over just five innings, he surrendered nine runs, walked eight batters, and struck out only five. Even more concerning, his sinker velocity dipped to around 91 mph, down from last year's average of 93 mph.

The real red flag, however, was the lack of command. Priester admitted his shoulder didn't feel quite right, prompting a conversation between him and the team. The decision was clear: hit the reset button.

"He had some shoulder soreness," Brewers manager Pat Murphy explained. "We felt like pulling him off right now was the best thing. Get him here, get him looked at, get our pitching group on him."

Despite the setback, there's a silver lining. Priester isn't experiencing any new pain—a positive sign given the potential severity of TOS injuries. He's just not progressing as hoped.

"Talked to him last night," Murphy added. "He's in a good spot. He feels like he's moving in the right direction. He doesn't feel like he's injured again in terms of long-term. He just feels like this is a setback. We're going to take some time to evaluate and work with him a little bit and then get him back to a program where we build him up."

There's no new diagnosis for Priester, but the lingering effects of TOS remain a factor. As Murphy noted, "It's obviously related. The shoulder can be affected by the..."

For now, the Brewers are taking a cautious approach, prioritizing Priester's long-term health over a rushed return. Fans will have to wait a little longer to see the promising arm that Milwaukee acquired—but patience could pay off down the stretch.