Five years later, the Pirates have finally landed left-hander José Quintana.
A source confirmed Sunday that the team has reached an agreement with Quintana on a one-year, major-league contract worth about $2 million. The deal is pending a physical, and the Pirates will have to make a corresponding move to get Quintana on their 40-man roster.
Advertisement
The Pirates made a hard push to trade for Quintana after the 2016 season, when he was an All-Star with the White Sox. Quintana instead wound up going to the Cubs, who gave up a package of four minor leaguers, including right-hander Dylan Cease.
Last winter, Quintana signed a one-year, $8 million contract with the Angels. He went 0-3 with a 6.75 ERA in 24 outings (10 starts) and missed nearly a month because of a left shoulder injury. Quintana was waived at the end of August and claimed by the Giants, for whom he made five relief outings.
Quintana, 32, averaged 12.1 strikeouts per nine innings last season but also had a career-worst 5.0 walks per nine rate. His 1.73 WHIP was the fifth worst in the majors among pitchers who threw at least 60 innings.
It is not immediately clear how the Pirates plan to use Quintana. He could begin the season in the starting rotation, which would buy some time for younger starters such as Miguel Yajure and Roansy Contreras to gain a bit more minor-league experience.
The Pirates have lots of options — Mitch Keller, Bryse Wilson, Wil Crowe, Max Kranick, JT Brubaker, Dillon Peters, Steven Brault and Chad Kuhl — but also a lot of uncertainty with their rotation. Brault and Kuhl are arbitration-eligible, and both are candidates to be non-tendered. Keller last season went 5-11 with a 6.17 ERA and a 1.79 WHIP. Crowe led the team with 25 starts but went just 4-8 with a 5.48 ERA.
(Photo: Vincent Carchietta / USA Today)