Jose Quintana is aware of the moment that is at hand for his New York Mets as they strive to hang on to the second and final Wild Card spot in the National League playoff race. Hence why he has expressed an openness to sacrifice for the team down the stretch of the year.
The Mets (82-68) currently occupy the sixth and final playoff seed in the NL, but only hold a one-game advantage over the Atlanta Braves (81-69) who they just leapfrogged for the position. Quintana has been instrumental in the Mets’ climb out of the abyss they fell into earlier in the year, as he’s gone a praiseworthy 8-4 since June 15 without once seeing his ERA reach 5.00 or greater in any single outing.
Jose Quintana wants to help the Mets win however he can once Kodai Senga returns
Yet for all that, the 35-year-old is still willing to relinquish his starting role if the Mets’ injured ace Kodai Senga is able to take the mound again this season, as he said per Dan Martin of the New York Post. Should that be the case, Quintana would be, at best, the fifth-best starter in Queens N.Y. based on talent and productivity in 2024 after Senga, Luis Severino, the surging Sean Manaea, and David Peterson.
“My focus is on my next start, but I think when Senga comes back, he’s gonna help us a lot, so whatever way I can help, I will do it,’’ Quintana said. “It’s not a big deal. Right now, it’s not a time to be about myself. It’s about the team. If it’s good for the team, I’m open to doing it.”
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Quintana figures to help the Mets either as a starter or reliever come postseason time
The last time Quintana failed to start in a game he appeared in was back during the 2021 MLB season, when he started in 10 of 29 games played for the Los Angeles Angels and San Francisco Giants. He began the first seven years of his career as a starter before seeing time in the bullpen from 2019-2021.
The Mets do have a need for another strong arm in their bullpen, but also require fortification in their starting pitching ranks. After getting off to a noticeably slow start to the year, the Colombian talent has turned the tide in a major way since around the time the summer began, and based on the work he’s put in, figures to be of much service in whatever capacity he is deployed in as the playoffs roll around.
