MILWAUKEE — This could very well be Jose Quintana's last start at Metropolitan.
If so, he would have received a huge ovation the next time he visited Citi Field.
No one knows what will happen next, but Quintana did his best to get back into action in a Mets uniform.
The veteran left-hander pitched better than the Mets expected, throwing longer and keeping the team afloat.
They nearly drowned until Pete Alonso's three-run home run sealed a stunning 4-2 victory against the Brewers on Thursday night at American Family Field.
Quintana is perhaps the fourth-most trusted starter on the club, behind the top three of Sean Manaea, Luis Severino and David Peterson.
But Quintana started the final six games of the regular season and finished the season with a 0.74 ERA, moving up the standings and taking the ball in the most important games of the year.
And Quintana matched that moment, too. He consistently pitched out of traffic, logging just one 1-2-3 innings, but held the Brewers scoreless over six perfect frames.
Jackson Choriot's leadoff single in the first inning was wasted. So was Gary Sanchez's double.
Quintana put runners in scoring position and did not allow any hits, limiting himself to just four hits, one walk, and five strikeouts.
Jose Buto appeared ready to enter the game in the sixth inning, when Brewers starting pitcher Tobias Meyers had already left and Quintana had thrown 77 pitches.
But Quintana went on to face the center of Milwaukee's lineup for a third time.
Carlos Mendoza's faith paid off as Quintana jumped off the mound with a fist pump as William Contreras struck out, Willie Adames struck out and Sanchez threw a strike three.
The good times will not last. Butt entered the game and immediately hit back-to-back home runs.
However, Alonso's ninth inning outburst meant Quintana would be seen in a Mets jersey again.
The 35-year-old has done exactly what the Mets had hoped for in two years, posting a 3.70 ERA in 44 starts and being reliable when healthy.
He's never flashy, and his fastball never blows off the radar, but it always keeps hitters off balance.
The Mets will likely see Quintana, Manaea, and Severino hit free agency, and there will be plenty of holes to fill in the rotation. They can think about that another day.
