NL DIVISION SERIES: METS VS PHILLIES

October 8, 2024

Jose Quintana

Citi Field

New York Mets

Pregame 3 Press Conference

Q. Last time you pitched is a good example of how Carlos Mendoza manages with his eyes. He said at the moment when you stayed out in the game maybe you shouldn't have stayed out that late, third time through the lineup. How nice is it to have a manager that can see with his eyes or use the book when he needs to?

JOSE QUINTANA: It's really good when you have a chance to face for the third time the lineup, that's a good sign. It was really good, so locked in that game. We know we playing for elimination game. I really excited when he give me the chance to face the lineup for the third time. Sometimes we try to show that to the manager to give you that chance to keep you in the game. So that's really important for starters.

Q. Is tomorrow the biggest start of your career?

JOSE QUINTANA: Yeah, probably. I think at this point every game is Game 7 for me, and for all of my teammates. We've been fighting a lot in all situations. Like I say, every play, every game means a lot.

Yeah, it's going to be a privilege to get that chance playing in front of our fans. It's been a while we've been here. I don't remember when was the last time we've been around. So it's an amazing opportunity, and I will do my best.

Q. With every game mattering so much and tomorrow especially, what strategies do you have to not get nervous?

JOSE QUINTANA: My approach never changes. Use the best effort. We have a good scouting report, good plan to make it tomorrow. Since first inning start to do that right away. Do our best. So it's going to be really important every single pitch.

Q. You wondered am I going to come back, you had those couple of low points, was there a point you wondered if you were going to come back from this?

JOSE QUINTANA: It's really important right now the point we are, you know. If you go back and remember all that good moments, try to use it to the present and be just in that moment.

But for sure, this is going to be a really exciting and good time. For me I just want to enjoy. I've been in this situation before and I just want to keep playing. As I said before, it's a privilege to get the ball. Too many starters once get this opportunity, and it's a privilege for me to get it. So that's exciting.

Q. What would you say the biggest adjustments you've made this year?

JOSE QUINTANA: The biggest adjustments, control counts. But more than that, make a couple of adjustments on my mechanic. One of those is get my angle a little bit up, give me more chance to all the pitches go in the same tunnel. That was the biggest adjustment I did during the season, getting more consistency. And for sure better results every time I throw the ball. So that was a good adjustment.

Q. Between recently becoming a citizen and getting your 100th win, which I'm sure you were proud of being as the first Colombian, and pitching in games of this magnitude, is this a unique year in your life? Is this a year you'll look back on down the road and embrace it in a special way?

JOSE QUINTANA: Yeah, for sure. There are a lot of the things. At the same times, a lot of effort, but for sure being in the postseason and get the opportunity to get a hundred wins means a lot for me. Means all my efforts are going the right direction.

But honestly, I want to win. I want to get an opportunity to be in the World Series, to fight for something big. We have the opportunity in front of us. For me and all my teammates this mean a lot, and we keep fighting and do whatever we need to do to win.

Q. You faced the Phillies in the playoffs two years ago with St. Louis and you pitched well, but they ended up coming back and it kind of kick-started their playoff run that year. What do you remember about that start and is that something you keep in mind and take some lessons from as you face them tomorrow, especially with having a lot of returning members of that lineup?

JOSE QUINTANA: I remember, yeah, for sure that start in St. Louis. It was a great game. And they almost similar lineup. I remember last time. And they are pretty good. I face these guys a lot, and for sure it was a challenge. It is really good.

This is part of the postseason. Every team you're going to face I think is going to be a really good team. We have really good rivalry. So that's important for us, it means a lot.

I thinking a lot of me and the way I want to pitch today. But for sure it's going to be a special game. Really good, again, to face them in the postseason. If you see they always play for the postseason. So, yeah, really good.