For just the first time since the 2017 campaign, José Quintana will be a team’s Opening Day starter, this time for the New York Mets. That wasn’t necessarily planned or expected, but Kodai Senga beginning the season on the injured list with a shoulder injury forced the team to shift some pieces around. Quintana will get the nod against the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday, coming off a rough start to end a difficult spring training for him, at least statically.

The left-handed starter’s final tune-up before the season was against the Houston Astros on Saturday, and it did not go well. Quintana opened the game by giving up a three-run home run to Alex Bergman, who drove an 86 mph changeup over the centerfield wall. He would settle in and throw two consecutive scoreless innings in the second and third, but the Astros would cause some problems to open the fourth. Yainer Díaz and Jeremy Peña led the inning off with back-to-back walks, and Quintana was lifted from the game shortly after.

José Quintana. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized

Quintana’s line was three innings pitched, five runs given up on three hits and four walks, while striking out six hitters on 74 pitches. He finished spring training going 0-2 in five appearances, pitching to a 6.19 ERA across 16 innings.

But, despite all of that, Quintana remained positive as he prepares for the season to begin. “I’m ready. It feels great out there. I don’t expect to give up that many walks and lose my command, especially in the stretch, but I was still competing,” Quintana said.

The Mets’ starting rotation is not as strong as it has been in recent years, especially with Senga on the shelf. Quintana, being one of the veterans on the staff, needs to step up right from the start. He began last season on the injured list with a rib injury, which required surgery. But once he returned, Quintana proved to be really solid in the middle of the rotation.

He would go on to make 13 starts, most of which came after the All-Star break. Quintana finished the year going 3-6 with a 3.57 ERA in 75 2/3 innings, allowing three earned runs or less in 11 of those 13 starts.

Luis Severino, Sean Manaea and Quintana have plenty of experience at this level. Those are the arms that will largely determine how the season unfolds for the Mets. If they can remain healthy and prove to many that they still got something left, this is a team that may surprise some people.

Quintana is 9-5 with 2.90 ERA in 21 appearances against the Brewers throughout his career. More of the same could result in a good start, both for him and the team as a whole later this week.