2024 Mets Report Card: Jose Quintana, SP

Jose Quintana, SP

Player Data: Age: 35 (01/24/1989), B/T: R/L

Primary Stats: 31 G (31 GS), 170 1/3 IP, 3.75 ERA, 1.250 WHIP, 10-10, 135 SO, 63 BB
Advanced Stats: 105 ERA+, 18.8 SO%, 8.8 BB%, 4.49 xERA, 4.56 FIP, 4.44 xFIP, 1.0 fWAR

2024 Salary: $13 million

Grade: B

2024 Review

After fracturing his left rib before Opening Day 2023, Jose Quintana returned in late July. Overall in 2023, Quintana gave the Mets 75 2/3 innings in the dog days of summer while pitching to a 3.57 ERA. Entering 2024, nobody really knew what would happen with Quintana. He was an aging veteran with just one year left on his contract, and the Mets organization’s direction for the season was cloudy. There was minimal, yet lingering, speculation on whether the lefty would even begin 2024 as a New York Met.

David Stearns opted to buy in the offseason, which ultimately made Quintana the steadiest rung in the ladder of the Mets’ rotation. Meanwhile, Luis Severino and Sean Manaea, though with potential, were wild cards due to their past inconsistency. Thus, the Mets named Quintana their Opening Day starter, marking the first time he earned that nod since 2017.

Quintana had a puzzling season—alternating between flashes of prime, late 2010’s Quintana, and stretches where he looked like the worst pitcher on the planet. Skewed by one start against the Tampa Bay Rays, Quintana would pitch to a horrific 7.20 ERA in May, but would bounce back to post a 3.38 ERA in the June. From there, everything went awry (not necessarily in a bad way).

The months of July, August, and September defined Quintana’s season. He delivered two flawless starts against the Nationals, throwing seven shutout innings in both, though the Mets somehow lost the first of the two. Quintana then allowed five runs in the thin air of Coors Field; no one can fault him for that. He followed up with strong performances against the Yankees and Twins, earning wins in both outings as August began.

But success doesn’t last forever. In a rough stretch from August 4 to August 20, Quintana lost all signs of his June and July form, allowing 19 runs over 20 2/3 innings. During that span, he gave up 22 hits and issued 12 walks. His ERA on June 21st was 4.58. After all his hard work in late June and July, just four starts pushed his ERA to a discouraging 4.57—wiping out his progress and bringing him right back to square one.

But the story of Jose Quintana continued. After a brutal start on August 20, where he allowed seven earned runs in five innings, Quintana turned things around and finished the season with an impressive 0.74 ERA over his final six starts.

Quintana’s reliability on the mound was especially apparent when it mattered most. In the postseason, Quintana was absolutely unhittable in the NL Wild Card and Division Series. The southpaw didn’t allow a run in either game he pitched, tossing 11 combined scoreless innings against the Brewers and Phillies. However, he wasn’t quite as sharp in the NLCS, surrendering five runs in just 3 1/3 innings.

Throughout the year, it was fairly straightforward to pinpoint Quintana’s struggles and why his performance fluctuated so dramatically. He rarely seemed confident in his 90.8 mph sinker, often holding back instead of aggressively attacking hitters. As a junkballer, he relied on precision with his sinker and curveball, aiming to induce weak contact and ground balls. This approach showed in his impressive 48.2% ground-ball rate, ranking in the 79th percentile in MLB, and an average exit velocity of 88.0 mph, which placed him in the 74th percentile.

Beyond those stats, however, not much else stands out as a strength for the veteran left-hander. His FIP sits at 4.56, which raises concerns compared to his 3.75 ERA. FIP has typically aligned with his ERA in his best seasons, providing stability in his underlying numbers. In 2022, his 2.93 ERA was backed by a 2.99 FIP; in 2015, his 3.36 ERA was supported by a 3.18 FIP. Even in 2023, his 3.57 ERA was matched by a 3.52 ERA. This year’s gap is a worrying sign.

Altogether, though, Quintana still turned in a solid season in a year when the Mets needed him badly. Despite some inconsistency, his 3.75 ERA and 105 ERA+ were just what they hoped for from their number four starter. He stayed healthy and pitched exceptionally well down the stretch—exactly when the Mets needed him most.

2025 Overview

As Quintana enters free agency at age 35, the market will determine his value. MLB Trade Rumors ranked him as the 31st-best free agent overall or the 13th-best starting pitcher. Spotrac projects him a two-year, $16.5 million deal, while MLB Trade Rumors predicts two years and $20 million. Given his track record and recent solid season, he should draw decent interest from teams looking for an experienced starter.

With David Peterson and Kodai Senga as the only surefire members of the 2025 Mets rotation, New York could consider re-signing Quintana. With a likely affordable price tag, he could slot in as a dependable number-five starter. Reliable veterans like Quintana are essential to a team’s success. If the Mets lean toward signing pitchers they’re familiar with rather than taking risks on wild cards like Walker Buehler or Frankie Montas, Quintana could be a sensible option.

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