White Sox: Jose Quintana Visits ‘Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon’

Not many pitchers that begin a season in the middle of an 0-3 start from a team that many expect to finish at the bottom of the American League are featured in the lead segment of the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. But for White Sox ace Jose Quintana, that became a reality Tuesday.

In the video below, the Colombian native described how as a prospect with the Yankees, Jose Quintana began to learn the English language by watching Fallon’s show. Quintana in the segment would go on to do a ‘bit’ where he teaches Jimmy some Spanish. Quintana met with Fallon during the Chicago White Sox‘s series with the Yankees in New York this week. Thus far the series is tied at one game apiece.

No baseball or the White Sox’s early-season surprise success was discussed, but it was an enjoyable segment from a player who, despite being one of the big leagues’ best lefties for several years, is only recently becoming a nationally known talent.

In describing the tale of learning English primarily from Fallon, Quintana explained to Scott Merkin of MLB.com:

"What were the shows Quintana relied upon, you may ask? When questioned recently, he said there were a couple. When pushed for one in particular, Quintana laughed and needed a little help from Russo to jog his memory.“Who is the guy who made the Boston Red Sox movie?” asked Quintana, referring to “Fever Pitch”.“Jimmy Fallon,” Russo responded.“I watched his show,” Quintana said, smiling a little broader at this point. “I watched a couple of TV shows from him. It’s really funny.”"

The All-Star Quintana has been the subject of a lot of in-baseball discussion as the top trade rumor mill subject since his teammate Chris Sale was dealt during the Winter Meetings. The trade cloud has hung over Quintana, but the White Sox, who have a ‘team-friendly’ contract with the southpaw, have not gotten the asking price needed to move him. With his appearance on the late night show, it further shows that Quintana could be a marketable star for any contending team looking to potentially make a move for his services.

The first three starts haven’t been kind to Quintana this season after his brilliant showing in the World Baseball Classic. Known for his consistency, it doesn’t appear to be anything White Sox fans should worry about as Quintana has been one of the most effective pitchers in the game since 2013. The White Sox haven’t slacked despite Quintana’s slow April as they have the best team ERA, and the fewest amount of runs allowed in the game behind James Shields, Derek Holland and Miguel Gonzalez.

Next: ChiSox Pitchers Other Than Quintana on Move?

After a long offseason of Quintana’s name coming up in trade rumors, his showing on Jimmy Fallon was a great way for many nationally to see him.