Major league teams expressed interest in signing Jose Quintana as a free agent, but the Pittsburgh Pirates whispered the one word that the 32-year-old left-handed pitcher wanted to hear: starter.
A week after agreeing to a one-year, $2 million contract, Quintana signed with the Pirates on Monday and was formally introduced on a video conference call.
“I am really excited to get this opportunity to be a starter and appreciate this opportunity for me next year,” Quintana said. “I know the Central Division, having spent a lot of years there. I’m really excited to be a Pirate. It’s great for me to be sharp after a really hard year for me.”
To make room on the 40-man roster for Quintana, the Pirates designated left-hander Steven Brault for assignment. Brault, 29, spent six seasons with the Pirates, going 12-18 with a 4.77 ERA in 107 games, including 52 starts.
Brault won the Steve Blass Award as the team’s pitcher of the year in 2020 after going 1-3 with a 3.38 ERA in 11 appearances, including a complete game victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. Brault, however, spent most of last season on the injured list with a left lat strain and went 0-3 with a 5.86 ERA in seven starts.
Quintana is 83-80 with a 3.84 ERA in 257 career starts over 10 major league seasons. He was 50-54 with a 3.51 ERA in six seasons with the Chicago White Sox, where he was an All-Star in 2016.
The Pirates once were rumored to be involved in trade talks for Quintana, who instead was dealt to the Chicago Cubs at the 2017 trade deadline. Quintana was 33-23 with a 4.23 ERA in four seasons with the Cubs, pitching in four postseason games as they reached the ’17 NLCS.
Quintana split last season between the Los Angeles Angels and San Francisco Giants, making 29 appearances, including 10 starts. Bothered by inflammation in his right shoulder, Quintana was moved to the bullpen.
“I’m a starting pitcher,” Quintana said. “I want to be back and really sharp. My offseason workouts are going to be all about my delivery, hitting my strengths like I did in the past and working hard to be a really good starting pitcher like I was the past few years.”
The Pirates also avoided arbitration with Ben Gamel, signing the outfielder to a one-year deal for $1.8 million. Gamel was projected by MLB Trade Rumors to earn $2.9 million in arbitration.
A source confirmed to the Tribune-Review a report by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic that Gamel can earn a bonus of $100,000 for reaching 450 plate appearances and another $100,000 for 550 plate appearances.
That would require Gamel to become a full-time starter. He has had 550 plate appearances in only one of his six major league seasons, hitting that number in 134 games with Seattle in 2017.
Gamel batted .255/.352/.399 with 17 doubles, three triples, eight home runs and 26 RBIs in 111 games for the Pirates last season after being claimed off waivers from Cleveland.
The Pirates also signed right-handed pitcher Jerad Eickhoff and catcher Jamie Ritchie to minor league contracts.
Eickhoff, 31, is 21-32 with a 4.35 ERA and 1.31 WHIP in six seasons with Philadelphia and the New York Mets. He started four games last season for the Mets, going 0-2 with an 8.69 ERA.
Ritchie, 28, has never played in the majors. He spent last season for the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Triple-A affiliate in Reno, batting .317/.417/.430 with 18 doubles, four homers and 43 RBIs.
