Jose Quintana has quietly turned into one of the most reliable arms in the National League this month. Pitching at the Little League Classic in Williamsport, he threw seven scoreless innings with seven strikeouts while flashing a custom “Lilo” jersey that paid tribute to his younger brother. The highlight came when Javy Baez made a slick backhand flip to help Quintana out of a jam, impressing not just fans but the dozens of Little Leaguers in attendance.
Quintana’s recent run is no fluke. Over his last four starts, he’s put up four straight quality outings, totaling 26 innings with a 1.38 ERA in August. Earlier this month against the Phillies, he struck out 14 over six innings, getting hitters to chase and freeze. Big names like Harper and Hoskins had no answers at the plate.
In contrast, Craig Kimbrel hasn’t had the same success. A group of 12-year-olds even mocked his windup in the dugout during the Williamsport game, and Kimbrel gave up a big homer shortly after. With the NL Central race tight between the Cubs, Cardinals, and Brewers, performances from Quintana and Kimbrel could heavily influence how that division shakes out down the stretch.