Jose Quintana has spent his entire career with the Chicago White Sox. However, he'll soon be at the service of the team across town. Quintana joined the Chicago Cubs recently, a move that shows that the Cubs aren't simply going to wave the white flag on this current season despite the fact that they have a losing record here in mid-July.
Quintana's recent and long-term stats
Quintana has a losing record in his career at 50-54. His winning percentage is .481, practically the same winning percentage that the Chicago Cubs have this season. That being the case, this isn't a blockbuster move that is guaranteed to push the Cubs over the top.
In some ways, it looks like Chicago added a player that may not make that huge of a difference.
However, Quintana has pitched for the White Sox in a period in the franchise's history where they have underachieved. That certainly could be a factor in his losing record. Looking at this season, his ERA is 4.49. If he can post something closer to his career ERA of 3.51 with the Cubs then he will definitely help make them more competitive.
Quintana in, Lackey out?
When looking at who Quintana will take starts away from with the Cubs, you have to look at John Lackey. He's 38 years old, his ERA on the season is 5.20, and his record is 5-9. Currently, he is on the 10-day disabled list, as per his stats page at MLB.com, and he could be close to retirement.
His ERA has slid drastically this season as he was 3.35 last season from that perspective as part of the World Series Champions. Coming off of the DL in the future and already amidst a poor season, you have to think that the expectation on Quintana is to be an improvement over Lackey for the balance of the season. That's something that Quintana might be successful in.
Trade does not necessarily season changing
The Cubs have spotted the surprising Milwaukee Brewers a 5.5-game lead in the NL Central division. That is a meaningful lead, but the length of the Major League Baseball season is forgiving. With two and a half months remaining, there are still plenty of chances for Chicago to catch Milwaukee.
While Chicago fans might feel growing optimism at catching Milwaukee, there is a good reason to be skeptical still.
Quintana would have to do better than he's been doing so far this season to have a meaningful impact. Furthermore, in the arms race of Major League Baseball trades, you have to wonder how the Milwaukee Brewers will counter. Given the surprising season that they have had so far, they probably won't just let Chicago improve without making a countermeasure themselves.
