SF Giants: Three Potential Left-Handed Pitching Targets

Three Left-Handed Pitching Targets for the SF Giants
3. Jose Quintana

In his nine-year career, Jose Quintana has never pitched in a home ballpark outside of Chicago. The left-handed hurler is a free agent for the first time in his career and might be in the market for a one-year, pillow deal.

Quintana was traded from the Chicago White Sox to the Chicago Cubs before the 2017 trade deadline in a blockbuster move that netted the White Sox prized outfielder Eloy Jimenez.

Quintana proved to be a serviceable arm with a 4.24 ERA with the Cubs, but similar to when the Giants traded for Matt Moore in 2016, this is likely one move they wish they could take back.

Since he debuted way back in 2012, Quintana has registered an 83-77 record with a 3.73 ERA (3.64 FIP) and a 21 percent strikeout rate against a 6.8 percent walk rate.

If you are a believer in FIP, then you may see Quintana as a hidden gem. His ERA has frequently underperformed his FIP, so a change of scenery could be exactly what the veteran southpaw needs.

Quintana missed much of the 2020 season after battling a pair of unrelated injuries, but when he was healthy, he generated a 4.50 ERA in just ten innings of work.

There is not much information evaluators can take away from Quintana’s 2020 season given that it was such a small body of work.

That said, Quintana has proven to be a consistent and durable arm throughout his career, and the market will see him as this. Regardless, he has registered a 4.28 ERA since the start of 2017, so that is the type of pitcher you would be getting.

Similar to Mike Minor, the SF Giants need more depth and arms who can soak up innings. Quintana has proven to be an innings-eater in his career, and will likely fall within the Giants comfort level of spending.

After spending so many years in Chicago, a change to the pitcher-friendly confines of Oracle Park may be exactly what the left-handed hurler needs.