Sep 6, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jose Quintana (62) looks on before the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Pirates Reunion With Veteran Lefty Makes Sense

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Pirates on SI
By Jordon Lawrenz | Last updated Dec 26, 2025 2:00 PM ET

While adding new bats and offensive weapons is terrific, the Pittsburgh Pirates know they should likely add a pitcher or two as well. There aren't a ton of one-year options that make sense, but this veteran lefty stands off the chart.

Jose Quintana had a brief stint in Pittsburgh back in 2022. He was later traded in-division to the St. Louis Cardinals as part of a four-player trade.

It's not a trade that meant much in the long run (they still have Malcom Nunez in AAA), but that doesn't mean the Pirates shouldn't give Quintana another shot. It never hurts having another lefty in the rotation, and Quintana has been a valuable asset to a pair of playoff teams these last two years.

Quintana Would Be A Cheap, Reliable Option

Jose Quintana picks up a win over the Diamondbacks, making him the 24th pitcher in MLB history to defeat all 30 teams

The only other active pitchers to do this are Max Scherzer, Charlie Morton and Gerrit Cole pic.twitter.com/S4l0pcVLML
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) April 12, 2025

Last year, the Milwaukee Brewers signed Quintana to a one-year, $4.25 million deal. At 36-years-old, Quintana is certainly getting up there. That said, it's pretty risk-free if the Pirates would to sign him for a one-year deal.

Pittsburgh tends to add an arm in the offseason, and they'd be bringing in a guy who's already pitched for the team. Quintana started 20 games for the Pirates in 2022 posting a 3.50 ERA.

While he was only 3-5, it's not like the Pirates bail their pitchers out with much run support. Quintana has 10+ wins in his last two seasons and has appeared in five playoff games. Should the Pirates find a way to make it to the playoffs, Quintana would be an extremely valuable arm to have in their rotation.

The Brewers decided against bringing him back in 2026 as they declined the mutual option in November. Now a free agent, Pittsburgh could be one of the teams in the mix to bring in a pitcher with over 100 career wins.

Pirates Can't Ever Have Too Many Arms

Season on the line.

Jose Quintana delivers! #Postseason pic.twitter.com/Xw4GpgkSbE
— MLB (@MLB) October 4, 2024

Injuries can happen at any moment, and the last thing the Pirates want to do is be held back by their pitching. They're finally making moves to see a strong balance between their pitching and hitting, so passing on a pitcher this offseason seems like it'd be a huge risk.

Quintana is far from Paul Skenes, but no one would expect him to return to Pittsburgh and be the ace of this team. If anything, they can trade him during the season once again for whatever presents itself. As far as reliable, cheap options go, Quintana stands at the top of that list.

This article first appeared on Pittsburgh Pirates on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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