Mets' Jose Quintana addresses trade-deadline uncertainty

Starting pitcher Jose Quintana wants to stay with the New York Mets beyond the July 30 MLB trade deadline following the club's unexpected run of form throughout June.

"I’m ready to be a Met for the whole year," Quintana recently said, as shared by Will Sammon of The Athletic. "I’ve been in this position before, too, and that’s easy for me, honestly, because the first thing I think of now is, I don’t have control over that and I don’t know what’s going to happen. I just want to keep doing my thing every five days. For sure, I want to stay here — we’ve been doing really good things."

Quintana is among Mets players set to hit free agency this coming fall and could be made available to other teams regardless of New York's record because the club has a surplus of options for its rotation. 

Sammon previously noted how the Mets could use bullpen help even after closer Edwin Diaz completes the final five games of his sticky-stuff suspension.

Across his first 16 starts this season, Quintana went 3-5 with a 4.57 ERA. However, Sammon mentioned that the 35-year-old recorded a 1.65 ERA with 21 strikeouts over 16.1 innings of work in his last three starts.

"My body feels great and the [velocity] is staying there, which is going to be the key," Quintana added about his playing future that may or may not include featuring for the Mets through at least August. "For sure, I want to keep playing. I don’t have the answer on how many years I am going to play. But I want to keep going as a starter. Whatever adjustment I need to do to be on the same level, I’ll do it."

The Mets ended June 1 at 24-34 on the season but began Monday at 40-41 and just two games back in the battle for the National League's third wild-card playoff spot. 

If the Amazins win more than they lose over the next few weeks, they could move somebody such as Quintana or Tylor Megill to the bullpen and trade a younger talent for a reliever assuming advertised ace Kodai Senga returns to action from setbacks related to a moderate capsule strain in the back of his right shoulder later this month.