NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: METS VS DODGERS

October 16, 2024

Jose Quintana

Citi Field

New York Mets

Pregame 3 Press Conference

Q. Carlos was just saying a number of times it's not a secret that you and Luis and Sean went pretty hard during the regular season, a lot of length, a lot of innings pitched. I was wondering, he has to be mindful of that when you guys are pitching now. How do you guys feel with so many innings this year after not really doing that quite a bit?

JOSE QUINTANA: I feel great. I think we've been doing a really good job. All regular season we made a couple of adjustments. And this is the perfect time when you want to play baseball.

Whatever you did all season, if you threw too many innings or not, I think right now you feel like the most energy you can be. And as soon as you go every single game to the ballpark, you see the crowd, it's amazing.

I don't feel my innings right now in my arms. I'm so excited for every single game and just want to win.

Q. Manaea said something interesting after his start was that he felt like he hit the wall fast when he had those two walks to start that inning. Do you have to be kind of mindful of that, because I would think it would be more draining just because of the environment and the adrenaline and stuff this time of year?

JOSE QUINTANA: Yeah, for sure. I think you're going to feel all that energy around you. That was a good point. We talked early in the postseason when we faced the Brewers.

And we don't need to change anything. You want to get a lot of energy around you. So you just play your game, the more simple you can do, because the energy will be there.

Every single pitch matters. And sometimes we try to do too much is when everything goes faster. But about energy, I don't think we need to worry about that, we'll be right there.

Q. Your sort of career journey to end up where you are doing what you're doing, has anything recently surprised you even this season? Have you surprised yourself at how effective you've been?

JOSE QUINTANA: I've been really surprised when I got my hundred wins. And the reason is because, man, that's a lot. I've been a long stretch to get that number. And everything I've been doing means a lot for me and my family and all the people supporting me during my career.

But all the time, I'm really glad they give me this opportunity to come back in the postseason.

So surprised? Yeah, sometimes you feel like, man, I did this. And stay humble, but at the same time you want more. So this series, we're really close, and this series means a lot for us.

Q. During this great run you've been on, you've really done a great job at getting batters to swing at pitches out of the strike zone, get them to expand. What is it about your pitches, do you think, allows you to do that and convinces batters to swing maybe at pitches they shouldn't?

JOSE QUINTANA: Well, that's a great adjustment I did during the season. For a little bit I've been struggling, and I watch videos and tried to catch my best mechanics and repeat consistently.

So I've been in the sim tunnel, I've been throwing the ball to give me the chance for swing and miss, throw the ball in and out of the zone, depends what way I want to do at that time.

But for sure, it's really good to get that kind of swing and miss every time. And that's in my mind every time. If i don't get it, I want the contact, and every single pitch that's what I'm thinking.

Q. Ohtani didn't play the first time you faced the Dodgers this year. I guess what are the challenges that he presents? And how much are you looking forward to facing him?

JOSE QUINTANA: Yeah, it will be a good challenge. We're facing one of the best hitters in baseball with a lot of power. And I think every single hitter on that team is really good. I think they've been there for a reason.

But facing Ohtani is going to be really good. I want to get that match-up, and it's a good challenge for me.

Q. Can you tell me about, if you remember it, it's back so far, but the May 29th team meeting you guys had when you were at your lowest point? I think you were 22-33 and then you went off and played .600 ball for the rest of the season. What was that like and why did the season turn around after that meeting?

JOSE QUINTANA: Yeah, I remember that meeting like yesterday. It was really good at that point. We sucked, I think; we were doing really bad.

We talked openly, and we say everything we think to get better. And I remember we say a lot we need to prove it. We need to prove it and go out there and do better, and get your face in front of a mirror and think what you need to do to get better and work hard to do that.

So I think that meeting turned for us in a really good way.

And after that we clicked. I think that's the point we were looking for during the season. Before that, sometimes we pitch well, no offense. Sometimes we get the offense, we can't pitch. But after that I think we made a really good click. I think that meeting was the best we could do.

Q. Was it a meeting where everybody went around the room and had something to say?

JOSE QUINTANA: Yeah, yeah, a lot of people. Almost all the players talked. And like I said, everybody talked from your heart and give in to everybody's support and try to support each other. And go out there to do their best.

But we know everything is going to start from preparation before we go out there. And that was a key at that time. So I'm really glad we made that turn.

Q. When you're in a playoff series, how does your pregame preparation, your game planning, change? Do you pay attention more to the at-bats you see in the games beforehand and less on the in-season scouting reports? Do you just change what you're paying attention to when you're developing your game plan?

JOSE QUINTANA: I mean, nothing changed for me. For me it's the same game. I never change my routine. Really superstitious in that.

But, yeah, for sure I watched how every hitter comes at that time, what they've been doing and if I faced them -- the previous at-bat from each hitter. But, yeah, nothing changed. I always try to stay on my plan and just go out there, have fun and do my best.