José Quintana Joins Rare 30-Team Club, Etches Name in MLB Lore

By all accounts, José Quintana isn’t flashy. He doesn’t throw 100 mph or rack up strikeouts by the dozen. But on Friday night, the veteran left-hander did something only 23 other pitchers in Major League history have ever accomplished: he defeated all 30 MLB teams - becoming just the 24th pitcher to check off every team in the league. It’s a baseball bucket list feat, one that requires not just skill, but longevity, opportunity, and a little luck with the schedule makers.

“It means a lot,” Quintana told reporters postgame. “You play long enough, you face everyone eventually. But to beat them all? That’s something I’ll remember forever.”

The list he’s now part of includes names like Randy Johnson, Max Scherzer, Bartolo Colón, and Jamie Moyer—legends and workhorses alike. Most of them had to criss-cross leagues and rack up years of service to get there. Quintana, now in his 13th MLB season, has pitched for seven different teams. That kind of baseball passport isn’t just a stat—it’s a story.

This accomplishment places Quintana among a distinguished group of pitchers who have achieved this milestone:

• Al Leiter (Retired 2005)

• Kevin Brown (Retired 2005)

• Terry Mulholland (Retired 2006)

• Curt Schilling (Retired 2007)

• Woody Williams (Retired 2007)

• Jamie Moyer (Retired 2012)

• Randy Johnson (Retired 2009)

• Barry Zito (Retired 2015)

• Javier Vázquez (Retired 2011)

• Vicente Padilla (Retired 2014)

• Derek Lowe (Retired 2013)

• A.J. Burnett (Retired 2015)

• Dan Haren (Retired 2015)

• Kyle Lohse (Retired 2016)

• Tim Hudson (Retired 2015)

• John Lackey (Retired 2017)

• Max Scherzer (Active)

• Bartolo Colón (Retired 2018)

• Zack Greinke (Retired 2023)

• Gerrit Cole (Active)

• Justin Verlander (Active)

• Charlie Morton (Active)

• Lance Lynn (Active)

This isn’t the kind of milestone that trends on social media or makes for dramatic highlight reels. But in the clubhouse, among players, it means something. It’s a tip of the cap to consistency and competitiveness across more than a decade of work.

“It’s like bingo, but harder,” one teammate joked.

Harder, indeed. But for Quintana, who’s never been the loudest name on the mound, this quiet piece of history speaks volumes.