Free-agent pitcher Jose Quintana and the Colorado Rockies are in agreement on a one-year, $6 million contract, according to sources familiar with the deal.
The Rockies have prioritized bolstering their pitching staff in recent days, agreeing to a one-year, $5.1 million contract with right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano. And now they add the left-hander Quintana, who adds a veteran, steady presence to the Rockies' rotation after one season in Milwaukee.
Why the Rockies signed left-handed pitcher Jose Quintana
Quintana, 37, is entering his 15th season in the majors. He's compiled a 3.76 ERA and 1816 strikeouts in separate stints with the Chicago White Sox, Chicago Cubs, New York Mets, Los Angeles Angels, Brewers, Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals and San Francisco Giants. He does not have overpowering stuff -- his average fastball last season averaged 90.4 mph -- but he has proven able to consistently get hitters out.
Quintana features a five-pitch arsenal, with his sinker being his most prominent pitch (44 percent usage). It's paired with a changeup (22.1 percent), curveball (14.5 percent), four-seamer (11.7 percent) and slurve (7.7 percent), according to Baseball Savant. And now he joins a unit that also features Sugano, Michael Lorenzen, Kyle Freeland, Ryan Feltner and Chase Dollander.
Quintana doesn't have overpowering stuff – but he's what the Rockies need
In his most recent season with the Brewers, Quintana posted a 3.96 ERA in 24 games (131.2 innings). He has extensive postseason experience and instantly becomes an obvious trade candidate at the deadline for playoff-hopeful teams that would allow the Rockies to bolster their farm system.
2022 | 2.93 |
2023 | 3.57 |
2024 | 3.75 |
2025 | 3.96 |
Quintana becomes the latest player to sign in a busy week across baseball, with Nick Martinez signing with the Tampa Bay Rays, Erick Fedde signing with the Chicago White Sox, Chris Paddack signing with the Miami Marlins, Justin Verlander and Austin Slater signing with the Detroit Tigers. And there will surely be more as players rush to have teams lined up ahead of spring training.
in Colorado, Quintana will face arguably his greatest challenge yet due to the high altitude of Coors Field. There are more home runs hit at Coors each and every year as a result. Quintana's ability to pitch to weak contact should come in handy.