Mets Free Agent Hurler Jose Quintana Predicted to Join AL Team's Rotation

Jose Quintana could be joining an American League team in free agency this offseason.
Oct 9, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Mets pitcher Jose Quintana (62) walks in from the bullpen before playing against the Philadelphia Phillies in game four of the NLDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Oct 9, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Mets pitcher Jose Quintana (62) walks in from the bullpen before playing against the Philadelphia Phillies in game four of the NLDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The two-year, $26 million contract that Jose Quintana signed with the New York Mets on December 7, 2022, proved to be a wise decision for New York.

While Quintana produced a solid 3.57 ERA during the 2023 season, he also missed a significant amount of time due to injuries and only pitched 75.2 innings that year. However, the soon-to-be 36-year-old rebounded in a big way in 2024, posting a 10-10 record with a 3.75 ERA and 135 strikeouts in 170.1 innings pitched during the regular season.

He then followed that up by producing a 3.14 ERA in three postseason starts, including giving up zero earned runs in his first two starts (11 innings) before a brutal final start against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS.

Now Quintana is an unrestricted free agent. And with the other moves the Mets have made to address their 2025 starting rotation, it doesn't appear likely that he'll be returning to Queens.

If Quintana won't be a Mets player any longer, fans would surely prefer he joins an American League team so they wouldn't need to see him in an opposing uniform as often. And that's exactly what Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter projected would occur by predicting Quintana would sign with the Minnesota Twins in a January 13 article.

"The Twins do not have much in the way of financial flexibility, but they could still prioritize adding another veteran, and left-hander José Quintana would bring some balance to a staff of right-handers," Reuter wrote after projecting Quintana would be the No. 4 starter in the Twins' 2025 rotation.

It remains to be seen where the southpaw will sign. But we would imagine he'll receive a hearty ovation from Mets fans whenever he returns to Citi Field.


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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young covers the New York Yankees, the New York Mets, and Women’s Basketball for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco, where he also played Division 1 baseball for five years. He believes Mark Teixeira should have been a first ballot MLB Hall of Fame inductee.