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3 former Pirates starting pitchers who could return and replace Luis Ortiz in 2025

If the Pirates want to look for an external option to replace Luis Ortiz, they could reunite with one of these former Bucco hurlers.

ByNoah Wright|
Aug 20, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Charlie Morton (50) delivers a pitch against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Aug 20, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Charlie Morton (50) delivers a pitch against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
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Jose Quintana

The Pirates signed Jose Quintana during the 2021-2022 offseason. He ended up being one of their best players that year before being flipped to the St. Louis Cardinals for two prospects, including Johan Oviedo (who could also factor into the Pirates' rotation plans in 2025). After a short stint in St. Louis, he signed a two-year deal with the NY Mets and wrapped the contract with a solid 2024 campaign.

Quintana pitched to a 3.75 ERA, 4.56 FIP, and 1.25 WHIP in 170.1 innings last season. The left-hander does have his fair share of troublesome statistics, though; he had a sub-20% K% for the second consecutive season in a row, and his walk rate shot up to 8.8%. Quintana's 1.16 HR/9 rate was roughly league-average.

The left-hander still induced soft contact at an above-average rate. He was in the 74th percentile of exit velocity, with an 88 MPH mark, and the 70th percentile of barrel rate at 6.7%. Quintana induced ground balls at a career-high 47.4% rate as well.

Although Quintana's season was good, there were certainly plenty of red flags attached. ERA estimators were not fond of Quintana, as he put up a 4.57 SIERA and 4.44 xFIP, along with a 4.49 xERA. For what it's worth, this is the second consecutive season in which he overperformed these numbers. He had an even worse SIERA, xFIP, and xERA in 2023, yet has now put up three seasons in a row with a sub-4.00 ERA.

But Quintana's ability to execute pitches was down from the last two seasons. Between 2022 and 2023, Location+ put Quintana at above-average 102. This past season, he saw that fall to 97. Quintana has never been a hard thrower and has a career 83 Stuff+ rating (which is identical to the mark he put up this past season), so he needs to hit his spots better to work around the lack of stuff.

Still, 2024 marked the second time in three seasons and the ninth season overall in which Quintana has made at least 30 outings throughout his career. The question is if Quintana can overperform his expected numbers for a third season in a row. It would be a gamble, but since he's done it twice already, it's quite possible he can do it a third time as he ages.

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