Getty Bleacher Report's Zachary D. Rymer argued that José Quintana is a potential solution for Brian Snitker and the Atlanta Braves pitching staff.
As the saying goes, if you can’t beat them, join them.
On April 11, the Atlanta Braves lost in blowout fashion to José Quintana and the New York Mets. Just a day later, Bleacher Report’s Zachary D. Rymer argued that Quintana is a potential solution for the Braves pitching staff.
“There’s still no official word on what awaits Spencer Strider, but we know he has a damaged UCL in his right elbow,” Rymer wrote. “That typically means Tommy John surgery, and he’s already had one of those.
“In the meantime, it’s not hyperbolic to say Atlanta’s rotation is already in trouble.”
Quintana turned 35 in January, but he posted a sub-3.60 ERA each of the past two seasons. In three starts to begin 2024, he owns a 3.45 ERA with a 1.532 WHIP and 12 strikeouts in 15.2 innings.
On April 11, Quintana mostly shut down the Braves potential offense. He held Atlanta to 3 runs on 5 hits in 5.1 innings, leading the Mets to a 16-4 victory and series win.
The Mets have won two of Quintana’s three starts this season.
In 13 MLB seasons, the 35-year-old left-hander has registered a 93-94 record with a 3.74 ERA. He has also posted a 1.281 WHIP with 1,604 strikeouts in 331 appearances over 1,815 innings.
He made the All-Star team with the Chicago White Sox during the 2016 season.
How José Quintana Could Fit With the Braves
As Rymer argued, the Braves should be in the market for starting pitching before the MLB trade deadline.
Atlanta ace Spencer Strider exited the team’s home opener on April 5 complaining of right elbow discomfort. Two days later, the Braves placed him on the 15-day injured list on April 7.
A second Tommy John surgery for Strider remains on the table, which would likely rule out the right-hander for 12 months.
Quintana is a near polar opposite starting pitcher from Strider. The 35-year-old is a southpaw who relies on his control rather than “strikeout stuff.”
But Quintana would provide a boost to the Atlanta rotation.
Last season, Quintana went just 3-6, but he recorded a 3.57 ERA. He has posted an ERA below 3.80 in seven of his previous 12 years in the big leagues.
Quintana has also averaged roughly 150 innings per season in his career. That could be very key to replacing Strider, who led the Braves with 186.2 innings last season.
Why a Braves Trade for Quintana is Unlikely
Quintana and the Braves appear to be a fit on paper. But it’s probably a long shot that Atlanta acquires the left-hander in a trade.
Rymer wrote that it’s hard to imagine the Braves landing Quintana in a trade because “teams generally don’t like to trade assets to division rivals.”
Unless the Braves are willing to pay a premium for Quintana, then the Mets will likely deal the left-hander to another suitor.
It’s also possible Atlanta isn’t as aggressive in the starting pitcher trade market as Rymer suggested.
On April 8, The Athletic’s David O’Brien argued while appearing on 92.9 The Game that there was “zero chance” the Braves will sign starting pitcher Trevor Bauer. In 2020, Bauer, who is currently a free agent, won the National League Cy Young award.
One of the reasons O’Brien provided to support his argument was Atlanta’s starting pitcher depth.
Bryce Elder, who made the 2023 All-Star team, didn’t begin this season in the Atlanta starting rotation. Neither did Ian Anderson, who started for the team in 2021 when the Braves won the World Series.
A.J. Smith-Shawver, Hurston Waldrep and Huascar Ynoa are other starting pitchers available to the Braves.
The MLB trade deadline is months away, so the Braves have some time to test out their internal starting pitcher options. It’s possible that by the end of July, one or two of them are superior choices to Quintana.