José Quintana. Photo by Ed Delany of Metsmerized
José Quintana is on the brink of a return to the big leagues, as the New York Mets look for any positives during such a difficult stretch. The left-hander has yet to pitch this season after undergoing bone-graft surgery in March, but his 2023 debut could be in the near future.
Quintana threw 64 pitches in just 2 2/3 innings for Triple-A Syracuse on Friday night, allowing two runs to score on four hits and three walks against the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.
The 34-year-old has made four rehab appearances, but the concern is that has yet to throw five innings in a game. Friday night’s game was an opportunity for Quintana to stretch himself out, but the walks ran his pitch count up much earlier than expected.
The All-Star break begins on July 10, so the organization could wait a bit longer in order to give the veteran another rehab start. So much stress has been put on the Mets’ bullpen, so adding another starter who may not be ready does not make too much sense.
When Quintana is able to go, the team is adding a pitcher that has been durable and consistent for a large part of his career. He has made 30 starts or more eight time in his career, including last season. Quintana split time with the Pittsburgh Pirates and the St. Louis Cardinals in 2022, going 6-7 with a 2.93 ERA in 165 2/3 innings. The one-time All-Star is not an ace, but he is a middle of the rotation guy who is able to give his offense a chance to win.
The team will hope that Quintana’s lack of innings on rehab is just a temporary problem, as he has only thrown 11 1/3 innings. He has pitched to a 2.38 ERA, allowing two home runs during those outings. Hopefully, the addition of Quintana, whenever it comes, will help the Mets dig out of a nine game under .500 hole.
