Cubs’ and the three reasons they need to keep Jose Quintana

The 2020 trade deadline is less than two weeks away, and the Cubs head into late-August with some decisions to make.

One thing is for sure: the Chicago Cubs figure to be buyers. The North Siders improved to 15-7 on the year after defeating the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday night, maintaining a four-game lead over the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Central division.

The apparent suggestion is adding bullpen help. Chicago’s bullpen entered play on Tuesday, ranked 23rd in ERA, and there are still depth questions.

Simultaneously, the Cubs are desperately trying to maintain some semblance of a farm system, and probably do not want to get too crazy with young assets in a shortened season.

Might the Cubs then look to flip left-hander Jose Quintana–who is on an expiring contract–in exchange for a reliever? Or perhaps even a mid-level prospect?

Moving Quintana could be tempting. The team might not re-sign him in the offseason, and it would be far better to see potential value from a trade rather than merely allowing him to walk.

But Quintana still has plenty to offer the Cubs in this shortened season, and they should keep him beyond the deadline.

Chicago Cubs: “Q” is a suitable replacement amid Chatwood uncertainty

Tyler Chatwood had been a big bright spot for the Cubs in the early going.

Chatwood opened the year with wins against the Brewers and Pittsburgh Pirates, respectively, allowing just one run and striking out 19 in 12 2/3 innings of work.

But the right-hander suffered a clunker in his third start against the Kansas City Royals, and now his status is uncertain.

Chatwood’s timetable for return is unknown after he was sent to see a back specialist, opening up a hole in Chicago’s rotation. Naturally, the veteran Quintana–who himself is on the verge of returning from injury–figures to take Chatwood’s spot.

Only, there is a real chance he might need to stay in the rotation long-term.

Perhaps Chatwood’s back ailment is nothing but a blip on the radar. Alternatively, back issues are often among the most burdensome in sports, and the Cubs may have to assess his status on a week-to-week basis.

Either way, Quintana’s presence in the rotation would give David Ross some more confidence in the event Chatwood is still hurting after his IL stint.

Chicago Cubs: Building trust heading into the offseason

As previously mentioned, it seems unlikely the Cubs will re-sign Quintana. Or at least, it seemed that way before the COVID-19 outbreak.

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Quintana will be 32 in January, but he might well have commanded a multi-year deal at a decent annual average had the game’s economics not been shaken by the pandemic, particularly given the market for starting pitchers in the last few years.

Instead, the Cubs could find themselves faced with an opportunity. If Quintana cannot find a team willing to offer him a long-term deal, he might opt for a relatively cheap, one-year pact to return to Chicago.

Yes, Quintana’s tenure with the team has been underwhelming, especially considering how much they gave up for him back in 2017.

However, if he is willing to take a one-year deal, there is little downside to bringing Quintana back into the fold for one more spin.

Quintana can still help the team win this year and, if they play their cards right, he might be able to help them again in 2021.