Jose Quintana 'excited' to help Mets, but return might not be until after All-Star break
Mets pitcher Jose Quintana throws during a spring training workout on Feb. 18 in Port St. Lucie, Fla. Credit: Newsday/Alejandra Villa Loarca
Jose Quintana felt no unnatural soreness after his 47-pitch rehab start with High-A Brooklyn on Sunday, but it’s possible the lefthander will need two more rehab appearances before making his Mets debut — something that could push his return to the rotation to after the All-Star break.
Quintana allowed one run, two hits and a walk with five strikeouts in four innings but was pulled after just 47 pitches during his third rehab start — only one more pitch than he threw in his previous start.
Manager Buck Showalter and Quinanta said that was basically the plan all along.
The Mets now must decide how far to build him up: A full ramp-up of 70 to 75 pitches likely will require two more outings, Showalter said, though it’s possible they will decide to load him up less and bring him back sooner.
He’s next scheduled to pitch Friday, though the team hasn’t said if that will happen in Brooklyn or elsewhere. On Monday, Quintana expressed a preference for going up against Double- or Triple-A hitters.
“I’m feeling close and I’m excited,” said Quintana, who signed a two-year deal in December, was shut down with a stress fracture in a rib during spring training and had surgery to heal an additional lesion. “I’ve been working so hard to be in this position . . . I feel a lot of confidence. I’m excited to be back.”
He said he hopes to throw at least 70 pitches his next time out, but Showalter said a 60-pitch range is more likely.
“He’s hoping that because he’s hoping to get back yesterday,” Showalter said. “Think about how frustrating it is: Something you know the team is in need of and something you know you can bring, and your body didn’t cooperate at that time. He’s definitely going to be a fresh arm.”
An arm the Mets desperately need, too, as evidenced by their decision to pitch David Peterson on Tuesday against the Brewers, who are ahead of them in the NL wild-card standings.
Peterson, who was demoted after posting an 8.08 ERA in eight starts this season, hasn’t fared all that much better with Triple-A Syracuse. In five starts, he has a 6.00 ERA. Opposing hitters have batted .292 with an .883 OPS.
Joey Lucchesi (2.36 ERA) has outperformed him in the minors, making him a more obvious option. The choice to go with Peterson was a joint decision, Showalter said, the product of input from pitching coach Jeremy Hefner, staff with Triple-A Syracuse and player development personnel.
“When they say it’s the best, I’m in,” Showalter said. “No question. They’re right. They’re very well-researched . . . It’s who we decided on as a group. If you look at certain things — some people get ERA for the season, some people look at the last two starts, some people look at who we’re playing and we look at all those things. The conclusion was that Pete was the best option.”
Going into Monday’s game, the Mets’ 4.95 rotation ERA was fifth-worst in baseball; their 4.65 staff ERA was sixth-worst.
If Quintana does, in fact, need the two rehab starts, it’s possible he won’t be available until July 14, the Mets’ first game after the All-Star break. That means potentially needing Peterson for two or three starts.
“I was talking to him today,” Showalter said of Quintana. “He feels good. He’s got a good face. You can tell he feels good about getting closer. He’s having the right type of soreness now.”
Quintana previously had a rehab start pushed back because of some lingering soreness in his side, but he has felt none of that in the past three or four days, he said Monday.
“I think the good thing is [I’m] throwing strikes,” he said. “You know, minor-league guys are really aggressive . . . I feel good. My delivery, everything worked good and I hit my spots pretty good.”
Laura Albanese is a reporter, feature writer and columnist covering local professional sports teams; she began at Newsday in 2007 as an intern.
