Mets depth chart: 2 players moving up, 2 moving down

Jose Quintana is moving down the Mets depth chart

The Opening Day starter for the Mets, Jose Quintana has not been exceptional this year. None of the starting pitchers, in fact, have been able to string together any lengthy and deep starts. Luis Severino might be the pitcher we can credit with the best performance so far this year. His walk rate of 3 per 9 is far and away the best.

For Quintana, many of his shortcomings are beginning to show. Having now allowed more than a hit per inning and a walk rate of almost 5 per 9, his softer-tossing ways are getting the best of him. He’s not a big strikeout pitcher and the opponent is taking advantage of it by putting the ball in play. The 1.59 WHIP is terrifying.

Quintana has been predictable when it comes to the results. He has faced 21-26 batters in each of his 5 starts with anywhere from 4.2 to 5.2 innings. Each start includes exactly 4 strikeouts and a walk total ranging from 2 to 4. Only the runs he has allowed have differed the most with 5 earned charged against him in his most recent appearance versus the San Francisco Giants.

Quintana has yet to get the doors blown off him in any outing. Most frustrating is how inefficient he is with his pitches. Getting through the sixth inning has been a challenge for him. This isn’t a case of a guy upping his pitch count because of the strikeouts either.

There will be good days and bad ones for Quintana. Almost certainly, they’ll end after 5+ innings with a couple runs across, a few too many walks, and a tight game unless the Mets bats explode.