St. Louis Cardinals acquiring LHP José Quintana from Pittsburgh Pirates: Sources

The St. Louis Cardinals apparently added a noteworthy player to their roster on Monday before the trade deadline on Tuesday, but it's not Juan Soto. The Cardinals "are finalizing a deal to acquire left-hander Jose Quintana from the Pittsburgh Pirates." According to ESPN's Jeff Passan, The southpaw would remain in the National League Central as a result of such a deal, and St. Louis would gain some starting pitching depth before the stretch run.

While Jim Bowden of CBS Sports said that the Cardinals, Los Angeles Dodgers, and San Diego Padres "all improved their offers" in an effort to get Soto from the Washington Nationals. After all, Steven Matz is out with a knee injury, and Jack Flaherty hasn't pitched since June 26. Even if the National League Central leaders traded closer Josh Hader to the Padres on Monday, that would make overtaking Milwaukee even harder. The Cardinals are three games behind Milwaukee.

As St. Louis works to make up that gap, Quintana, an All-Star in 2016 when playing for the Chicago White Sox, at least offers some much-needed starting pitching depth. His 3.50 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, and 89 strikeouts in 103.0 innings this year are markedly better than the 6.43 ERA he recorded for the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Angels last year.

The seasoned pitcher, who has pitched throughout his career for the White Sox, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Angels, Giants, and Pirates, appeared to be headed for greatness when he concluded his first five seasons with an ERA above 4.00. Yet, since he was an All-Star in 2016, he has yet to finish a season with an ERA under 4.00. The Cardinals are hopeful that Quintana's improved performance will continue now that they have made this change.

Quintana will eventually be dealt with, and this would be a fair exchange for both organizations. The trade deadline is approaching in less than 24 hours, and the Pirates ought to be very busy.