The Milwaukee Brewers had a chance to win the World Series this year, but they ultimately ran into a buzzsaw called the Los Angeles Dodgers in the postseason. The Dodgers promptly bounced the Brewers from the postseason en route to a second World Series title in as many years.
As the Brewers head into the offseason, their pitching staff is set to take some massive hits. The biggest loss is set to be Brandon Woodruff, who’s a free agent, and seems like he could sign a deal elsewhere if the Brewers aren’t aggressive in his sweepstakes. Freddy Peralta is heading into the final year of his contract, which makes him a prime trade candidate for the Brewers. But the Brewers are also set to lose veteran pitcher Jose Quintana to free agency, too.
Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller recently predicted Quintana would bolt from Milwaukee to sign a one-year, $6 million deal with the Cleveland Guardians in free agency this offseason.
Jose Quintana could ink a deal with the Guardians
Oct 17, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jose Quintana (62) pitches against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first inning during game four of the NLCS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
“After a bit of a late start to the year, Quintana played a key role as the veteran of Milwaukee’s staff, winning 11 games and making eight quality starts,” Miller wrote. “He now has a 3.53 ERA in 543.1 innings pitched over the past four years, on par with both Ranger Suárez (3.59 ERA in 588.1 IP) and Seth Lugo (3.51 ERA in 563.1 IP).”
With all the question marks on the pitching staff going forward, the Brewers need to prioritize bringing Quintana back, especially if Woodruff is headed to a new team in free agency. One of these two pitchers need to be brought back to Milwaukee this winter or the team’s pitching staff could struggle.
But the Guardians make a lot of sense as a fit for Quintana. They’re not a huge spender in free agency, but they don’t need to be to sign Quintana. The veteran is likely going to take an affordable deal over one or two years, which would fit perfectly for the Guardians.
If Cleveland wants to get back to the World Series, it’s going to need to make a lot of big moves. Adding Quintana isn’t a huge move, but it’s one that would help the Guardians get back to the World Series.
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