Has Johnny Cueto made his final home start in a Cincinnati Reds uniform?
Aside from October, July might just be baseball’s most dramatic and unpredictable month. Of course, that’s mainly because the non-waiver trade deadline always falls on its final day, and now that we’ve officially crossed the threshold from June, the craziness is bound to begin very soon.
One pitcher whose future is almost certain to be impacted in the next 30 days is Cincinnati Reds ace Johnny Cueto. The 2014 All-Star and Cy Young Award runner-up is having another season that will put in the conversation for both honors. In 15 starts, Cueto is 5-5 with a 2.84 ERA over 104 2/3 innings. Last season, he was 20-9 with a 2.25 ERA over a league-leading 243 2/3 innings.
The only difference this season is he’s doing it for a Reds team on the outside of the postseason picture looking in, and with a contract that’s set to make him a free agent come season’s end. Basically, he fits every criteria there is for a player who is certain to be traded, the only questions now are when and where.
If the when falls any time between now and July 17, which marks the beginning of Cincinnati’s first home series following the All-Star break, that means Cueto’s latest gem on Wednesday will mark his final start at Great American Ball Park while wearing a Cincinnati Reds uniform.
It many ways, it felt like a proper farewell to Cincinnati. In eight innings, Cueto held the Minnesota Twins to one run over eight innings while striking out eight in the Reds 2-1 victory.
In the bigger picture though, it felt like a start that would cement the interests of contenders looking to add a top of the rotation starter for the stretch run. In turn, that would make the next week to 10 days a really good time for Cincinnati to pull the trigger.
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The only concern that could impact Cueto’s current and future value is durability. In 2011, he was limited to 24 starts. During the 2012 postseason, he exited his NLDS start after just eight pitches after suffering a mild oblique strain that proved too much for Cincinnati to overcome. His 2013 regular season was marred by injuries as well, limiting him to 11 starts.
His healthy 2014 season was a good step forward, but he’s again shown some cracks this season. He was forced to miss two starts at the end of May with elbow soreness. He also had a scheduled start last week pushed back with stiffness in the elbow, but has looked fresh and rebounded well with two excellent starts since. That’s perhaps the key point that should have his value on the rise right now.
Like Cole Hamels, the other major ace known to be available, Cueto will draw interest from multiple teams. The Houston Astros and Kansas City Royals have already been connected. The San Francisco Giants recently had scouts looking at both Cueto and Mike Leake, but there figures to be a slew of teams in position to make a run, and it’s possible we’ll see one emerge with some urgency to get that trade done soon.
Really, aside from being healthy in the 2012 postseason, he’s been everything the Reds hoped he’s be as a pitcher. For his career, Cueto is 89-62 with a 3.25 ERA in 208 starts. At the Great American Ball Park, which is undoubtedly more hitter-friendly than pitcher-friendly, Cueto is 47-22 with a 2.97 ERA over 96 starts.
It’s just time for both to move on and move forward in new directions.
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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Townie813
