Mets sign José Quintana to two-year, $26 million contract

Dec 7, 2022 - 3:59 PM

In a move that was not rumored until it broke, Ken Rosenthal is reporting that the Mets signed free-agent José Quintana to a two-year, $26 million contract, pending a physical. Quintana, who split 2022 between the Pirates and the Cardinals, will be 34 when the season begins. Joel Sherman reports that Quintana will receive $13 million per season.

After starting his career with the White Sox in 2012, Quintana was traded cross-town to the Cubs in 2017. Once he hit free agency, Quintana signed with the Angels ahead of the 2021 season and had easily the worst spell of his career, and was eventually put on waivers and claimed by the Giants.

After signing a very modest $2 million contract with the Pirates last offseason, Quintana was traded mid-season to the Cardinals. The left-handed Quintana had arguably his best year in the majors in 2022, putting up a 2.93 ERA, 2.99 FIP, a career-low .4 HR/9, and 3.4 bWAR.

This is a strange sort of homecoming for Quintana, who was originally signed by the Mets in 2006 as an international free agent. A PED-suspension brought the brief relationship to an end, and Quintana would sign with the Yankees before eventually making the majors with the White Sox.

Despite signing Quintana, Jon Heyman reports that the Mets are still interested in free agent starter Kodai Senga as well.