The New York Mets landed Juan Soto this winter. His addition will not be the only major change to their team as they could lose an All-Star pitcher to a division rival.
FanSided’s Zachary Rotman noted that the Atlanta Braves could target José Quintana in free agency after missing out on Los Angeles Dodgers Walker Beuhler.
“Juan Soto gets most of the attention, obviously, but the New York Mets have completely revamped their rotation, not only re-signing Sean Manaea, but bringing in guys like Clay Holmes, Frankie Montas, and Griffin Canning as well,” wrote Rotman. “By bringing in those arms, the Mets let Luis Severino walk, and Jose Quintana is likely headed in that same direction.”
Quintana has a 3.74 career ERA. He was an All-Star in 2016. He has not been back to the All-Star Game but has been a steady arm in the league throughout his career. He has topped 30 starts nine times in his career.
The Mets would hate to see him sign with a division rival, but the Braves have a need and are on a budget. Spotrac projects him to sign a two-year, $16 million deal. Quintana closed out the season strong and could be an asset to the Braves who need to replace Max Fried’s innings.
“Quintana had a 0.74 ERA in his last six starts and didn’t allow an earned run in either of his first two postseason starts. When the Mets needed him the most, he pitched as well as he ever had,” wrote Rotman. “Yes, he’ll be 36 in January, and yes, he had his share of clunkers this past season as well, but it’s hard to imagine that the Braves will get better bang for their buck than by signing Quintana to a cheap one-year deal to round out their rotation.”
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