Jose Quintana lifted from spring start due to side tightness

Mets general manager Billy Eppler told reporters that left-hander José Quintana had his most recent spring start limited to just one inning against the Cardinals due to left side tightness. Due to that injury concern, Quintana will no longer participate in the World Baseball Classic.

After he appeared to be on the verge of sputtering out from the bigs, Quintana turned in a strong bounce-back campaign in 2022, pitching to a respectable 3.50 ERA in 103 innings as a member of the Pirates before being dealt to the Cardinals, where he went on to dominate, posting a sensational 2.01 ERA (191 ERA+) over 62 2/3 innings down the stretch. His overall season line of a 2.93 ERA (137 ERA+) and 2.99 FIP earned him a two-year, $26MM contract with the Mets this winter.

At this point, the severity of Quintana's injury is unknown, with his status for Opening Day an open question until the Mets provide a more concrete recovery timetable. When healthy, Quintana figures to round out the Mets rotation alongside Kodai Senga, Carlos Carrasco Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander.

In slightly more encouraging news out of the Big Apple, Quintana's southpaw teammate David Peterson is considered day-to-day with a foot contusion after the results of an X-ray and CT scan failed to reveal structural damage to the hoof. Peterson, Tylor Megill and Joey Lucchesi are among the next men up should Quintana -- or any other Mets starter -- be forced to miss time.