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Mets free agent signs with NL Central powerhouse

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New York Mets starting pitcher Jose Quintana (62) pitches during the first inning of Game 3 of National League wild-card series against the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday October 3, 2024 at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wis.
New York Mets starting pitcher Jose Quintana (62) pitches during the first inning of Game 3 of National League wild-card series against the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday October 3, 2024 at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wis. Credit: Jovanny Hernandez / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The New York Mets and Jose Quintana had a good thing going. For two seasons, the veteran left-hander gave them reliable innings, and in return, he got to pitch for a team with deep pockets and playoff ambitions. It was a relationship that worked—until it didn’t.

This offseason, the Mets took a different route. Instead of bringing Quintana back, they opted for arms with more upside, adding Clay Holmes and Frankie Montas to the mix and retaining Sean Manaea. On paper, it made sense. The team wanted more swing-and-miss stuff, more dominance. Quintana, steady as he is, doesn’t light up radar guns or rack up strikeouts like those guys.

A Missed Opportunity?

Then, injuries hit. Montas and Manaea went down, leaving the Mets scrambling for rotation depth. Whispers of a potential Quintana reunion grew louder, and the pitcher himself seemed open to the idea. But the Mets had already moved on. Instead of circling back, they bet on their in-house options.

Jul 9, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Jose Quintana (62) pitches in the first inning against the Washington Nationals at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Now, that door is officially shut. According to MLB insider Jon Heyman, Quintana has signed a one-year deal with the Milwaukee Brewers, the reigning NL Central champs.

The Rotation Without Him

Could the Mets have used Quintana? Absolutely. Right now, their rotation is looking at Tylor Megill and Paul Blackburn stepping in. They are far from bad hurlers, but neither brings the reliability that Quintana showed with his 3.57 ERA in 2023 and 3.75 last season.

But the Mets are sticking to their plan. Maybe they don’t want to spend more. Maybe they’re confident in their young arms, like Brandon Sproat and Blade Tidwell, who have turned heads this spring. Whatever the reason, they’re rolling the dice.

jose quintana, mets

Farewell to a Dependable Arm

For some fans, this one will sting. Quintana may not have been flashy, but he was a rock when the Mets needed him. And while New York is banking on higher upside, Milwaukee just got a pitcher who knows how to keep a team in games.