Quintana (elbow sprain) hoping to play catch after follow-up exam

DENVER -- Rockies left-hander Jose Quintana is doing all he can to avoid surgery for the most significant elbow injury of his career -- at age 37.

Quintana, who initially landed on the IL on May 26 with a left elbow sprain, received a PRP shot in the left ulnar collateral ligament in early June, and hopes that a follow-up exam at the end of the month will render information positive enough for him to work toward returning late this season.

“When we get back after the Minnesota series [ending on June 28], I’ll probably get an MRI and see how my ligament is healing,” Quintana said on Sunday. “And the next step will be to start playing catch. That’s the plan.

“I have a strain in that ligament, but the doctors say it’s in a good area for healing -- more of a chance to heal. The PRP shot is the right move right now, and hopefully I’ll start to feel better.”

Arm health has been Quintana’s friend for most of his 15 Major League seasons. He had a bout with a left shoulder impingement last season with the Brewers. His biggest scare otherwise was a benign lesion on a rib, which required surgery in 2023 while he was with the Mets.

Quintana, who signed during the offseason for one year at $6 million, said that if he were younger, he might be more inclined to consider surgery. The fact that, overall, he feels great physically has made the elbow issue a tough one for him.

“I want to keep playing because of the way I feel,” Quintana said. “I want to get the opportunity to win, and that’s why I keep pushing to do my thing. It’s sad when you get injuries like this and have to miss a lot of time. And the way this team has been playing the last couple of days, I want to be there with them.

“If I can come back this year, it’s a privilege.”