Mets ink José Quintana to a two-year, $26 million contract

Quintana allowed 0.4 home runs per nine innings in 2022, the best mark in baseball among qualified starters

The Mets solidified the middle of their starting rotation on Wednesday morning, agreeing to sign LHP José Quintana to a two-year, $26 million contract.

The Athletic was the first to report the two sides were in agreement on a deal.

The deal for Quintana does not include an option or an opt-out, per the New York Post.

Quintana, 33, is coming off a strong bounce back season with the Pirates and Cardinals in 2022 proving he was both healthy and effective with a 6-7 record and a 2.93 ERA over 165.2 IP with 137 strikeouts against 47 walks. He was in the 89th percentile in opposing chase rate in 2022 along with the 83rd percentile in hard-hit rate against thanks to his top-tiered fastball/curveball combination, with a -17 and -10 run value respectively on those pitches.

He is left-handed and pitches to contact but generally keeps the ball in the yard - he led all of baseball in 2022 with 0.4 home runs allowed per nine innings. After his career got off to a fast start with the Cubs from 2012-2016, he was slightly below league average from 2017-2021, posting a 4.51 ERA and a 96 ERA+ during that five year span. He has an 89-87 lifetime record with a 3.75 ERA over his 11-year career with the White Sox, Cubs, Cardinals, Giants and Pirates.

Outside of the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, Quintana has proven to be a healthy workhorse, making at least 25 starts in every season he has been a full-time starter since he made his debut in 2012.

Quintana joins Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander, and Carlos Carrasco in the Mets rotation, all of which are under contract for two years or less.

The deal for Quintana has not eliminated the Mets from signing Japanese star pitcher Kodai Senga, per the Post.

Should the Mets be unable to procure Senga or another starting pitcher, they could include both David Peterson and Tylor Megill in a spring training competition for the final rotation spot, and find another starter if necessary at the trade deadline.