Former Cardinals postseason standout signs deal within the division

Former Cardinals starter Jose Quintana has agreed to a deal with the Milwaukee Brewers. Making the move for Quintana will help the Brewers shore up their starting rotation while also adding depth in hopes of a postseason run. The 36-year-old left-hander last pitched for the Cardinals in 2022, when he was traded to the team along with reliever Chris Stratton. The Brewers will be Quintana’s eighth team and his fourth different NL Central team, having pitched for the Pirates and Cubs as well. Quintana posted solid numbers for the Mets last year, finishing with a 3.75 earned run average, compiling over 170 innings, and striking out 135.

While it may be difficult for Quintana to replicate a double-digit win season from last year, Quintana has proven to be a steady major leaguer throughout his career. Accumulating over 30 WAR and nearly 2,000 career innings pitched, Quintana has a career record that sits one game below .500, at 102-103. Pitching for both the White Sox and Cubs at the beginning of his career, he enjoyed the most success in Chicago, including a 5.3 WAR All-Star season in 2016, posting a 3.20 ERA, 13 wins, 181 strikeouts, and over 200 innings of work. With that being said, Quintana’s stint in St. Louis was very successful as well, despite being short-lived.

In 12 outings for the Redbirds after being acquired at the 2022 trade deadline, Quintana posted an impressive 2.01 ERA. Cardinals fans also remember Quintana proving himself valuable in the postseason, pitching 5.1 scoreless innings before Ryan Helsley blew the save in one of the more devastating playoff runs for the team in recent memory. After he performed well with the team, many Cardinals fans hoped to bring Quintana back in 2023, and some even hoped for a reunion this offseason. Unfortunately, Cardinals fans will have to watch from the sidelines as other teams sign free agents once more, as Quintana has now found a home in Milwaukee. To make matters worse, Quintana holds a winning record of 6-4 against the Redbirds, posting a 3.95 ERA in 14 starts against the team.