Left-hander José Quintana won’t make his New York Mets debut until at least July because of a stress fracture in his rib.
The Mets are relieved that the prognosis wasn’t even more severe.
Mets GM Billy Eppler told reporters Tuesday a scan revealed a lesion on the impacted rib. Quintana went to New York to visit an orthopedic tumor specialist for a biopsy and additional scans that revealed the lesion was benign.
“This was bigger than baseball,” Eppler said. “José’s got our support and anything he needs. I’m just really thankful we’re at least here as opposed to one of the other potential outcomes.”
Eppler said Quintana will have an operation Friday in New York that involves a bone graft. Eppler said recovery from the surgery will keep Quintana out until at least July 1 but didn’t offer any specifics beyond that.
The 34-year-old Quintana signed a $26 million, two-year contract with the Mets in December after going 6-7 with a 2.93 ERA in 32 starts with Pittsburgh and St. Louis last season. He is 89-87 with a 3.75 ERA.
BRAVES: The Atlanta Braves have optioned Ian Anderson to their Triple-A affiliate, the latest setback for a right-hander whose promising start included pitching five hitless innings in Game 3 of the 2021 World Series.
The Braves announced they had optioned Anderson and right-hander Bryce Elder to Triple-A Gwinnett. Both players had been competing for the fifth spot in the Braves’ starting rotation.
DIAMONDBACKS: Corbin Carroll would make $134 million over nine years if the Arizona Diamondbacks exercise a 2031 option in his $111 million, eight-year contract.
The deal for the 22-year-old outfielder, announced Saturday, is the largest guarantee for a player with less than 100 days of major league service. Carroll made his big league debut last Aug. 29 and has 38 days of service.
He topped the $72 million, eight-year contract for Atlanta outfielder Michael A. Harris, who had 81 days of service when he reached agreement last Aug. 16 on a $72 million, eight-year contract that begins this season. Harris was voted NL Rookie of the Year.
NATIONALS: Catcher Keibert Ruiz gets a $3 million signing bonus as part of his $50 million, eight-year contract with the Washington Nationals, a deal that could be worth $76 million over 10 seasons if the team exercises a pair of options.
The 24-year-old gets $1 million this year and $6 million next year as part of the contract announced Saturday. He gets $5 million annually from 2025-27, $7 million in 2029 and $9 million in both 2029 and 2030.
WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC
VENEZUELA 4, NICARAGUA 1: Eugenio Suárez and Anthony Santander had two hits each as Venezuela beat Nicaragua at Miami to improve to 3-0.
Suárez’s two-run single capped a three-run fourth that overcame a 1-0 deficit. Andrés Giménez’s run-scoring single tied the score, and Suárez’s lined a ball to right-center that scored Santander and Giménez.
Santander added an RBI double in the fifth.
Nicaragua finished 0-4 in its first WBC and will be forced to participate in qualifying for the 2026 tournament. The Nicaraguans hit .192 and and were outscored 22-4.
CANADA 5, COLOMBIA 0: Otto Lopez hit a three-run homer, Noah Skirrow threw five quality innings and Canada shut out Colombia at Phoenix.
Canada first baseman and Los Angeles Dodgers star Freddie Freeman left the game in the fourth inning because of a hamstring injury. He ran gingerly out of the batter’s box after popping up in the third.
Canada improved to 2-1 in Group C; Colombia is 1-2.
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 10, ISRAEL 0: Manny Machado homered, singled and drove in three runs as the Dominican Republic improved to 2-1 and clinched the top spot in Pool D for Venezuela.
AL Rookie of the Year Julio Rodriguez and Eloy Jiménez each had two hits for the Dominican Republic.
The Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico play for the second spot in the group Wednesday.
CUBA: Former major leaguer Yoenis Céspedes has left the Cuban team at the World Baseball Classic for unspecified personal reasons.
The Cuban Baseball Federation, in a statement from Havana, gave few details about his departure for the United States but said he might rejoin the team if Cuba reaches the semifinals in Miami.
MONDAY’S GAME
UNITED STATES 12, CANADA 1: Mike Trout hit a three-run homer, Lance Lynn threw five impressive innings and the United States used a nine-run first to cruise past Canada at Phoenix.
The game was called after seven innings because of the tournament’s 10-run mercy rule.
The U.S. improved to 2-1 and bounced back from an 11-5 loss to Mexico on Sunday with its best offensive performance of the tournament. Canada fell to 1-1 before a crowd of 29,621 at Chase Field.
The Americans sent 12 batters to the plate in the first inning. Nolan Arenado had a two-run double to start the scoring and Trout finished it by belting a low fastball into the left-center seats.
Lynn got the win, giving up one run and two hits while saving the bullpen for the team’s final game of pool play against Colombia on Wednesday. United States Manager Mark DeRosa had to use eight pitchers on Sunday in the loss to Mexico.
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