The Milwaukee Brewers arrived in Florida on Sunday aboard a charter flight captained by GJ Priester, uncle of Brewers pitcher Quinn Priester, ahead of Game 3 of the 2024 World Series against the Tampa Bay Rays. The team experienced some turbulence during the landing at Tropicana Field, prompting Brewers manager Pat Murphy to make a lighthearted reference to Priester’s nephew, quipping about a “knuckleball” mid-flight.

The flight, operated on a United Airlines Boeing 737, was piloted by GJ Priester, a veteran pilot employed by United since 1995 and part of the family behind Priester Aviation. Alex Priester, a cousin of Quinn Priester, served as first officer on the trip. Murphy noted the team had arranged five charter flights to accommodate family members and staff traveling to Florida for the series.

Despite the turbulent landing, Brewers reliever Aaron Ashby described the experience as “a little rough” but expressed confidence in the pilot crew’s professionalism. The Brewers currently hold a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series heading into Monday’s Game 3.

Quinn Priester, 26, remains sidelined and has not pitched for Milwaukee since last year’s National League Championship Series. His season was cut short after undergoing surgery in June to address right thoracic outlet syndrome, a condition involving nerve compression. The procedure, performed by Dr. Gregory Pearl, involved the removal of a rib to relieve pressure. Prior to surgery, Priester appeared in eight minor league rehabilitation games between late April and early June.

The Brewers are one of several Major League Baseball teams whose family charter flights in the World Series have been piloted by relatives of players. For example, Dwight Schmidt, father of New York Yankees pitcher Clarke Schmidt, served as a pilot for his team’s family charter flights.