With ace Kodai Senga still out, veteran pitcher José Quintana of the Chicago White Sox and Chicago Cubs has secured the top slot in the New York Mets rotation.
Soon after star Kodai Senga was sidelined with a shoulder ailment earlier this month, rumors about Quintana receiving the nod began to circulate. During a media conference on Wednesday afternoon, manager Carlos Mendoza affirmed the information.
“I’ll start by announcing that José Quintana will be our Opening Day starter in 2024,” Mendoza stated. “It goes without saying that this is a veteran player in the league. He’s one of those players that knows how to pitch, takes the ball, competes, and we appreciate his springy return. We get the impression that he feels stronger the further along his journey he travels. It was fantastic news when we spoke with him today, and it was a significant day for all of us.”
Quintana made a rough Grapefruit League start on February 29, but he has since recovered from it and is having a good Spring Training this year. Quintana’s ERA has dropped to 2.08 after back-to-back shutout outings on the day he gave up three walks and two earned runs.
Quintana, 35, last participated in Opening Day action in 2017 while playing for the Chicago White Sox.
The southpaw played for the White Sox for his first six Major League seasons before joining the Chicago Cubs for the final four. Quintana pitched for the Los Angeles Angels, San Francisco Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates, and St. Louis Cardinals in the two years before to signing with the Mets.
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