Competition for the Rockies‘ starting rotation is becoming more intriguing. And older.
The Rockies have agreed to a one-year, $6 million deal with 37-year-old left-hander Jose Quintana, a major league source confirmed. The deal is pending a physical, and the club has not announced the signing. The deal was first reported by ESPN.
Quintana went 11-7 with a 3.96 ERA in 24 starts with the National League Central champion Brewers last season. He averaged 6.1 strikeouts per nine innings and 3.4 walks per nine.
A look at the Colorado Rockies pitching woes ahead of spring training
The Rockies, who officially open spring training on Thursday when pitchers and catcher hold their first workouts at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale, Arizona, have already signed veteran right-handers Michael Lorenzen and Tomoyuki Sugano to one-year, free-agent deals. The Rockies have committed just over $19.1 million to the trio of starters.
Last year, during their 119-loss season, the Rockies threw several untested pitchers into the fire. The results were disastrous: a 6.65 ERA for the starting rotation, the highest since 1913, when Major League Baseball made ERA an official statistic. Adding the three veterans to the mix gives Colorado more flexibility and the ability to develop its young pitchers.
Though Quintana gives Colorado a veteran on the mound, he'll need plenty of guile to pitch well at Coors Field. Last season, his 6% strikeout rate was his lowest since the 14% K rate he posted in his 2012 rookie season with the White Sox. He throws a four-seam fastball and a sinker, both averaging about 91 mph. Last season, his 6.9% swinging strike rate was the second-lowest among MLB pitchers who reached 100 innings.
Quintana, Lorenzen, and Sugano join veteran left-hander Kyle Freeland and right-handers Ryan Feltner and Chase Dollander as the prime candidates to make the rotation out of spring training. McCade Brown, Tanner Gordon and lefty Sean Sullivan will be in the mix during Cactus League games.
