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Jose Quintana and Luis Torrens took the couple-minute walk from Citi Field to Arthur Ashe Stadium a few weeks ago to watch Aryna Sabalenka beat Emma Navarro in a U.S. Open semifinal. It’s a perk that doesn’t come so easily elsewhere.
Nearing the end of his second season of a two-year deal in which he has continued to demonstrate that he belongs in a major league rotation, Quintana has enjoyed playing in New York.
“It’s amazing,” Quintana said recently. “New York just has a lot of things to do. To get the opportunity to watch the U.S. Open and see players so [professional] … it’s been really cool.”
The Mets will hope that the allure of New York City continues to entice. But in luring their next batch of arms, their pitching-development system may be emerging as a more significant factor.