New York Mets fans react to losing starting pitcher Jose Quintana for three months with fractured rib: "This is annoying as f**k" 

The New York Mets are likely to be without starting pitcher Jose Quintana until the All-Star Break after being diagnosed with a stress fracture in his left rib cage last week.

The left-hander will be shut down for three months due to a fracture in the fifth rib of his left side. If all goes well, he could begin throwing in June with an eye towards returning to the team for the second half of the season.

Quintana, whom the New York Mets signed to a two-year, $26 million contract this offseason to strengthen the back half of their rotation, was sidelined after throwing less than an inning in his first spring training game on March 5.

Mets fans were less-than overjoyed at the news of Quintana's physical troubles.

Mets fans are already looking to Tylor Megill or David Peterson to fill the hole left by Quintana's injury. Peterson, like Quintana, is a lefty, while the remainder of New York's current starting rotation is right-handed. However, Megill had a 1.93 ERA in five starts to begin the 2022 season before he went down to injury.

Quintana's loss gave many a New York Mets fan a chance to break out their favorite word. It's hard to blame them. He made 32 starts with the St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates in 2022, going 6-7 with a 2.93 ERA and 1.21 WHIP. His presence was seen as a security blanket in either the No. 4 or 5 spot in the rotation.

What's the point of being a Mets fan if you can't throw some shade at the New York Yankees with every waking breath? News of Quintana's injury gave at least one Mets fan a chance to poke fun at the Yankees' similar situation with free-agent acquisition Carlos Rodon – who will miss opening day with a forearm muscle strain.

New York Mets GM calls report on Quintana "premature"

Jose Quintana of the New York Mets

While not denying the report, New York Mets general manager Billy Eppler called the news that Quintana would be shut down for three months "premature." He told MLB.com:

"I don’t have all the information yet. I was on the phone today with more of the doctors ... and I was with José on the call. It’s just premature. I’m going to wait until I have everything in place. I don’t want to drip this out. I want to make sure we have everything buttoned up and we have José’s input, and we go from there."