Colombian Southpaw Jose Quintana Signs With Milwaukee Brewers For One-Year Contract

Colombian left-hander Jose Quintana has signed a one-year contract with the Milwaukee Brewers, Robert Murray of FanSided reported on March 3.

The Baseball Insiders: José Quintana goes to Brewers; Braves catching depth following Sean Murphy injury; Pirates make a sneaky waiver claim. With @AdamWeinrib: https://t.co/ENxTAgJ2mY

— Robert Murray (@ByRobertMurray) March 3, 2025

Francys Romero of beisbolfr.com stated on March 3, that Quintana’s one-year deal is worth between $4-5 million for the 2025 season, including incentives. 

Quintana had initially planned to represent Colombia in the 2025 World Baseball Classic Qualifiers in Tucson, Arizona, at the Kino Sports Complex at Veterans Memorial Stadium. However, he withdrew from the tournament to focus on his new opportunity with Milwaukee and the remainder of spring training.

The 36-year-old, born in Arjona, Bolívar, Colombia, has played 13 seasons in Major League Baseball and was named an All-Star in 2016.

Quintana debuted in the majors with the Chicago White Sox in 2012 and remained with them through the first half of the 2017 season. He was then traded across town to the Chicago Cubs, where he pitched until 2020.

Since leaving the Cubs, Quintana has played for two teams in nearly every season. In 2021, he signed with the Los Angeles Angels but was later acquired by the San Francisco Giants. In 2022, he started the season with the Pittsburgh Pirates before being traded to the St. Louis Cardinals. He signed a two-year, $26 million deal with the New York Mets on December 9, 2022, and spent the past two seasons in their rotation.

In 2024, Quintana made 31 starts and finished with a 10-10 record and a 3.75 ERA. He pitched 170.1 innings, allowing 150 hits, 71 earned runs, 22 home runs, 63 walks, and striking out 135 batters with a 1.250 WHIP.

Quintana was at his best in September, going 3-1 with a 0.72 ERA in four starts. Over 25 innings, he allowed 15 hits, two earned runs, six walks, and struck out 23 batters.

Before his start in Game Four of the NLCS against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Quintana had a solid postseason numbers. His record stood at 0-1 with a 2.43 ERA across seven appearances and six starts. He had thrown 29.2 innings, allowing 19 hits, eight earned runs, one home run, nine walks, and striking out 26 batters with a 0.944 WHIP.

Against the Dodgers in Game Four of the NLCS, he struggled, taking the loss after pitching 3.1 innings, allowing five hits, five earned runs, one home run, four walks, and striking out two batters.

Earlier in the postseason, he had two no-decisions in Game Three of the National League Wild Card Series against the Milwaukee Brewers and Game Four of the National League Division Series. In those two starts, he combined to pitch 11 innings, allowing six hits, no earned runs, three walks, and striking out 11 batters while facing 44 hitters.

In 2023, Quintana went 3-6 with a 3.57 ERA in 13 starts, throwing 75.2 innings, allowing 75 hits, 30 earned runs, five home runs, 24 walks, and striking out 60 batters with a 1.308 WHIP.

Across his 13-year MLB career, Quintana has a 102-103 record with a 3.74 ERA and a 31.7 WAR. He has made 359 appearances and 333 starts, throwing 1,969.2 innings, allowing 1,923 hits, 819 earned runs, and 201 home runs, while walking 591 batters and striking out 1,727. His career WHIP stands at 1.276.

Quintana last pitched for Colombia in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. If Colombia qualifies out of Tucson, he could be an option for their 2026 rotation. He made one start and posted a 1.59 ERA, throwing 5.2 innings, allowing two hits, one earned run, one walk, and four strikeouts in the country’s first appearance at the WBC.

The Brewers’ projected starting rotation under manager Pat Murphy includes Freddy Peralta, Nestor Cortes, Tobias Myers, Aaron Civale, Aaron Ashby, DL Hall, Elvin Rodriguez, Brandon Woodruff, and Jacob Misiorowski heading into the 2025 regular season.

Milwaukee left-hander Robert Gasser was placed on the 60-day injured list on February 12 as he recovers from Tommy John surgery.

Murphy will evaluate his rotation during spring training before the Brewers open the 2025 regular season on the road against the New York Yankees at 3:05 p.m. EDT on March 27.

The Brewers’ home opener is scheduled for March 31 against the Kansas City Royals at 2:10 p.m. EDT.

According to Hunter Baumgardt, executive producer of Drew and KB on 97.3 The Game in Milwaukee, the Brewers will honor the late Hall of Fame broadcaster and Ford C. Frick Award winner Bob Uecker before their first regular-season game at American Family Field.

The Brewers announce they will honor Bob Uecker in many ways at the home opener on March 31????

-Ueck’s signature across the outfield grass

-Moment of silence

-Milwaukee debut of the Uecker jersey patch on all on-field personnel jerseys

-Plus additional nods to Uecker pic.twitter.com/U9T5Peyie9

— Hunter Baumgardt (@hunterbonair) March 3, 2025

Uecker, who won a World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1964, played six seasons in the majors. He was with the Milwaukee Braves in 1962 and 1963, the Cardinals in 1964 and 1965, the Philadelphia Phillies in 1966 and 1967, and the Atlanta Braves in 1967. He became the Brewers’ play-by-play broadcaster in 1971 and remained in the role until 2024.

Uecker played for the Arecibo Wolves in the Puerto Rico Winter League in the 1961-62 season prior to making his big league debut with the Braves.

Uecker passed away on January 16, 2025, at the age of 91, just 10 days before what would have been his 92nd birthday.

The Brewers’ radio and television broadcast team—Jeff Levering, Lane Grindle, Josh Maurer, Brian Anderson, Bill Schroeder, Sophia Minnaert, Tim Dillard, and Vinny Rottino—will continue to carry on Uecker’s legacy during the 2025 season.

With an unsettled starting staff under Murphy, the Brewers will use the next few weeks in Arizona to evaluate how they can shape another division title run.

Quintana could be in the starting rotation mix if he delivers sustainable innings this spring for a Milwaukee team chasing its third straight NL Central crown, after finishing 93-69 in 2024.