Jose Quintana Will Start the Pirates Home Opener

The Pirates announced on Sunday that right-hander JT Brubaker will start Opening Day on Thursday in St. Louis. Now, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette is reporting that Jose Quintana will pitch against the Cubs for the Pirates home opener on April 12.

The Pirates signed Quintana to a one-year $2M deal prior to the lockout. The 10-year Major League veteran has pitched for the White Sox, Cubs, Angels and Giants in his career. For his career, Quintana has a record of 83-80 with a 3.84 ERA in 283 appearances/257 starts. A 2016 All-Star, Quintana finished 10th in the American League Cy Young race that season.

Injuries limited Quintana to just 63 innings a year ago in 29 appearances/10 starts between Anaheim and San Francisco. He scuffled to a 6.43 ERA, though he did post a career-high 12.1 K/9, and a more encouraging 4.66 FIP on the year.

So far this spring for the Pirates, Quintana has given up 11 runs in nine innings of work. His last start on Friday was his best of the spring, as the left-hander have up two runs in four innings of work.

Quintana has the longest and most accomplished track record of any Pirate on the roster. The Bucs will count on the veteran to offer some stability to a largely inexperienced pitching staff in 2022.