Pirates sign former Cubs pitcher to boost starting rotation

The Pittsburgh Pirates have signed former division rival Jose Quintana in free agency in the exact sort of low-risk move they were built for.

Quintana hasn’t exactly put up All-Star numbers of late, as his last season with a sub-4 ERA was 2017. Still, beggars can’t be choosers, and the Pirates finished last place in the NL Central for a reason.

Per FanSided’s Robert Murray, the Pirates are adding Quintana to the rotation mix.

The Bucs signed Quintana for a few reasons. One, they assume they can revive his previous form with the Cubs and White Sox. Second, should that prove right, they could potentially flip him at the trade deadline for prospects.

The Pirates see Quintana as a pitcher in the Tyler Anderson-mold, who revived his career with Pittsburgh last season. Anderson was traded to the Mariners midseason.

Ben Cherington knows he’s a few years away from contention in Pittsburgh. Moves like these, in the interim, are incredibly valuable if they work to perfection.

Jose Quintana stats: Did Pirates make the right move?

Yes, given it’s a low-risk signing, the Bucs made the right play here. Convincing high-profile stars to come to Pittsburgh, especially entering critical CBA talks, is going to be tough right now. The Pirates and Bob Nutting are rarely willing to spend big in free agency, and they’d rather keep that money to, say, extend the likes of Bryan Reynolds and Ke’Bryan Hayes in the near future.

Quintana’s full statistics can be found here, via baseball-reference.

Jose Quintana contract: Did Pirates overpay?

No. Quintana knows his worth at this point, and it’s as a prove-it starting pitcher. He’ll fill in nicely in the back of the Pittsburgh rotation as a (hopefully) reliable veteran. Should he perform well, Quintana remains just 32 years of age. There’s no reason he can’t cash in on another multi-year deal in the near future.