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Brewers Rumored to Be in Market for Veteran Left-Handed Starting Pitcher
© Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Milwaukee Brewers have some solid starting pitching depth, but you can really never have enough of it. As spring training has now gotten underway, there are still some veteran pitchers on the free agent market.

Injuries have also started to hit the Brewers pitching staff, with DL Hall already being shut down with an injury and J.B. Bukauskas undergoing an MRI on Thursday. The depth is already starting to get thinner and Cactus League games haven't even started yet.

Because of that, the Brewers are reportedly among a number of teams in the market for veteran free agent left hander Jose Quintana.

Brewers rumored to have interest in Jose Quintana

MLB insider Hector Gomez is reporting that the Brewers are among five teams showing interest in Jose Quintana. The four other teams are the Mets, Rangers, Padres, and Braves.

Also according to Gomez, the Pittsburgh Pirates previously had interest but Quintana declined their offer.

Last season, Quintana pitched for the Mets with a 3.75 ERA in 31 starts covering 170.1 IP. He struck out 135 while walking 63. 

Quintana historically has been a Brewers killer. In 23 games against Milwaukee, Quintana has a 2.98 ERA in 130 IP. When he was with the Cubs in 2018, he started seven games against the Brewers, they lined him up to face Milwaukee, who could not figure him out. In recent years, the Brewers have had more success.

The 36 year old Colombia native is arguably the best starting pitcher remaining in free agency. The Brewers have lost several starting options from last year, including Colin Rea, Frankie Montas, and Joe Ross while the only starter they've added this offseason has been Nestor Cortes. 

With Brandon Woodruff and DL Hall nursing injuries, Robert Gasser down for most of the year, and only about six healthy and reliable options that have some legitimate MLB experience, the Brewers find themselves in need of a little more pitching depth as spring training gets going. 

The Brewers will have competition for Quintana, however, with other contending teams vying for his services. 

Since pitchers and catchers have already reported, Quintana is going to want to sign and get in a camp soon. The Brewers are still on the look out for pitching depth and with recent attention on Milwaukee's lack of activity on the free agent market, closing this deal might help assuage those concerns.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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