Jose Quintana takes next step in recovery, aiming to resume throwing after follow-up exam

Jose Quintana is working through the aftermath of a left elbow sprain that has sidelined the Rockies left-hander since late May, and the next checkpoint in his recovery is a follow-up exam meant to determine how close he is to progressing. The 37-year-old entered the injured list on May 26 with the injury, then received PRP, or platelet-rich plasma, injection therapy in the left ulnar area as part of his treatment plan.

In the update from MLB and the Rockies, Quintana’s focus is practical and incremental: he is aiming to be able to play catch after the follow-up evaluation. For pitchers, throwing progression is often the first measurable step toward a bullpen return because it tests not just soreness levels, but also elbow stability and how the arm responds to increased stress over time. The organization has not announced a return date in the release, instead emphasizing that the follow-up exam will guide what comes next.

The move also frames the injury’s stakes in a way that is familiar to veteran pitchers. Quintana’s recovery matters on two fronts. First, as a long-tenured major league starter, he has to manage both the physical impact of an elbow issue and the reality that meaningful elbow injuries tend to get more attention as pitchers age. Second, for the Rockies, any extended timeline for a starter affects how the rotation and the wider pitching staff are managed through the stretch of a season.

The team described this as the most significant elbow injury of Quintana’s career, a characterization that underscores why he and the club are treating the process cautiously. Quintana is not only trying to restore function, he is also reportedly doing everything he can to avoid surgery. That objective, in turn, shapes the recovery approach, since decisions around operative versus non-operative treatment often depend on both symptom response and how the elbow behaves under increasing workloads during the progression.

The PRP injection was one part of that non-surgical attempt. PRP is commonly used in baseball to address soft-tissue irritation or inflammation and, in some cases, to support tissue healing without going straight to an operation. While it does not guarantee a specific outcome, the point of the reported treatment was to create a pathway to throwing while still gathering enough information from subsequent evaluation to know whether additional steps are required.

As Quintana moves toward “play catch” after the follow-up exam, the most immediate thing to watch is whether his next throwing session triggers a clean response. In pitchers’ elbow recoveries, the question is rarely answered in one workout. Clinicians and team medical staffs typically look for a steady progression without flare-ups and for signs that discomfort is not escalating as intensity increases. If all goes well, a return to catch sessions can open the door to more structured bullpen throwing and, later, mound work.

Beyond Quintana’s personal timeline, the update is also a reminder of how quickly rotation plans can change when an elbow sprain becomes more than a short stint. For Colorado, the next several weeks will likely determine how much the pitching staff has to absorb and how the club balances innings across starters and relievers. Quintana’s exam results, and what he can do immediately after them, will be an early indicator of whether the timeline remains conservative or can start to bend toward a return to action.