Jose Quintana. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized
Updated Post, March 14, 2023, 3:20 p.m.
Billy Eppler announced José Quintana has a lesion on his rib. It is benign, but he will still have bone graft surgery on the area. He’ll be out until at least July. The lesion was found when doing tests on the stress fracture he suffered in a rib.
Original Post, March 13, 2023, 1:52 p.m.
The Mets are planning to shut down starting pitcher Jose Quintana for three months, according to the New York Post’s Mike Puma.
Last week Quintana was diagnosed with a stress fracture on the fifth rib on his left side. According to the Post, Quintana would begin throwing again in mid-June at the earliest to ramp up for a return to the rotation around the All-Star break.
The Mets signed the 34-year-old Quintana to a two-year contract for $26 million this offseason.
Quintana only made two pitching appearances this spring. A minor-league exhibition game on March 5 would be his last.
The two immediate candidates to replace Quintana in the rotation are Tylor Megill and David Peterson. Quintana was the only lefty in the Mets starting rotation and Peterson would fill that role, team officials reportedly are “most intrigued” by giving the spot to Megill, says the Post.
With Kodai Senga out due to a right index finger injury, the Mets’ rotational depth is being tested at the beginning of the season. It was clear Peterson and Megill would play significant roles for New York this season but the odds of either of them starting in Triple-A are decreasing as spring training goes on.
