This left-hander would be perfect fit for the Orioles' pitching needs

The Orioles have had a tough offseason. While they've added a few pieces such as Tyler O'Neill, Andrew Kittredge, and Charlie Morton, they've lost some pieces as well. Both Anthony Santander and Corbin Burnes are gone, and there are quite a few holes in the roster as the 2025 season approaches.

Baltimore can replace Santander with O'Neill, but Burnes leaves a hole that's almost too big to fully fill at this point, as all the top rotation options have come off the board. But that doesn't mean the Orioles shouldn't try to add another arm.

Perhaps the best one available is left-hander Jose Quintana. The 36-year-old went 10-10 with a 3.75 ERA in 31 starts with the Mets last year and even guided New York to the NLCS with a gem in Game 4 of the NLDS against the Phillies. The veteran also pitched 170.1 innings during the regular season.

The Orioles should target Jose Quintana to boost their rotation

What the Orioles really needed this offseason was an ace, or at least somebody that could fill that role. However, they stood by and let Burnes, Max Fried, Max Scherzer, Nathan Eovaldi, Sean Manaea, and Jack Flaherty sign elsewhere, which leaves Quintana as arguably the best remaining option.

But though Quintana is not an ace, he's not a slouch either. He was able to pitch effectively in some big games last year for the Mets during their surprise playoff run. Quintana also pitched well in Game 1 of the 2022 NL Wild Card Series as a member of the Cardinals.

So, while not an ace, Quintana is somebody that can be counted on to pitch well in big games. With an ace not available unless the Orioles try to trade for Dylan Cease, which might put them in a similar spot to where they were with Burnes, somebody that can perform well when the stakes are at their highest is the next best thing, even if said pitcher isn't a front-line guy.

Quintana also likely won't be too expensive either, given his age. And if he signs with Baltimore and pitches well enough, the Orioles could easily give him another affordable one-year deal next offseason.

Think of him similarly to Eovaldi, who isn't an ace but performs great in the postseason. If you've got a guy you can trust in big games in your rotation, you'll typically be okay. If the Orioles sign Quintana, they'll have both him and Charlie Morton as options for playoff games should they make it back in 2025.

At the very least, he's somebody that can eat innings and take the ball every fifth day, and he would make the Orioles' rotation better.