Key Points:
Idea discussed by Pittsburgh media member Andrew Fillipponi
Jose Quintana would fill a major need in the Pirates’ pitching rotation.
Projected contract for Quintana is one-year $6 million
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
The Pittsburgh Pirates are approaching the 2026 season with renewed optimism after a disappointing 2025 campaign in which they finished 71–91 and missed the playoffs for the tenth straight year. They have been given excellent offseason grades from MLB insider Jeff Passan.
As the Pirates look to take the next step toward contention, veteran starter José Quintana emerges as a logical target who can provide both stability and leadership to a rotation still finding its identity.
Top MLB insiders and reporters have graded the Pirates’ offseason anywhere from an A- to a B, but it’s clear that signing Quintana is a move that still could make sense, and let’s discuss why.
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Why the Pirates Need to Sign Jose Quintana
This has been a major idea that has been proposed by the Pittsburgh media consistently:
“Awesome Pirates reporter Jason Mackey said he thinks the following 3 players will be on the Pirates Opening Day roster: Mark Vientos, Jose Quintana, and Andrew McCutchen.”
This was from Andrew Fillipponi, who is a renowned Pittsburgh figure in the media community, so this reunion with Pittsburgh undoubtedly makes sense.
Pittsburgh’s 2025 performance underscored why pitching remains a priority going into the offseason. While Paul Skenes delivered standout numbers as a Cy Young winner, the depth behind him left much to be desired.
The Pirates’ rotation was inconsistent, and when injuries struck or opposing lineups stacked lefties on them, Pittsburgh struggled to maintain leads. That inconsistency contributed directly to their losing record and reinforced the need for a reliable veteran starter.
This winter, the Pirates have already been reshaping their roster. They completed a three-team trade that brought in Brandon Lowe, Jake Mangum, and Mason Montgomery, bolstering both their lineup and bullpen depth.
Pittsburgh also signed Ryan O’Hearn to a two-year, $29 million deal, the team’s first multi-year free agent position player signing in over 10+ years.
Jose Quintana Stats
Quintana fits the bill of a pitcher they need perfectly. The 35-year-old lefty has shown remarkable durability and consistency throughout his career, and he continued to pitch effectively in 2025 with a 3.96 ERA over 24 starts for the Milwaukee Brewers.
That performance once again proved he can handle a full workload and provide quality innings. Last offseason, he signed a modest one-year, $4.25 million deal with Milwaukee, a bargain for the Brewers that reflected his value as a dependable veteran starter.
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