Report: Johnny Cueto is headed to the Royals
The first marquee name thought to be available ahead of MLB’s non-waiver trade deadline is on the move.
According to Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal, the aggressive Kansas City Royals have acquired Johnny Cueto from the Cincinnati Reds to fill the void left by James Shields, who signed with the San Diego Padres during the offseason.
As Rosenthal also reported on Saturday, the Royals were set to acquire Cueto moments before his scheduled start against the Colorado Rockies. The trade ended up falling through when one of the Royals prospects involved didn’t check out medically, so business continued as usual with Cueto making his start. Cueto went on to pitch eight shutout innings at Coors Field in perhaps his most dominant start of the season.
[Related: 27 players who could be on the move before MLB trade deadline]
There’s no word on what the adjusted return will be for Cincinnati. Both sides are remaining tight-lipped at this moment, likely as precaution after Saturday’s deal fell apart at the 11th hour.
In fact, the Reds are maintaining there’s nothing to report roughly an hour after the initial report.
Our own Jeff Passan is hearing that young reliever Brandon Finnegan was involved in previous talks, so it’s possible he’s viewed as a centerpiece to the deal.
Cueto, 29, is just months away from his first shot in free agency. Chances are he’ll become a very rich man, which is the main reason CIncinnati was willing to part with him. He doesn’t fit within their budget, and it remains to be seen if the Royals would be willing to make such a commitment or if they’re looking for a short-term rental.
Either way, Cueto will help. He’s currently sporting a 2.62 ERA in 130 2/3 innings this year and is widely seen as one of the game’s top starters. He has big game experience as well, having pitched for three postseason teams in Cincinnati, and should immediately gives Ned Yost an ace and a go-to arm in October.
Another key here is Cueto’s ability to work deep into games and perhaps give Kansas City’s dominant bullpen a breather from time to time.. In 19 starts this season, Cueto has completed at least six innings 17 times. That’s a big deal for Kansas City, as their starters currently rank last in the AL in innings per start.
The only question that ever surrounds Cueto is durability. He’s only topped 30 starts twice in the past five seasons, but the Royals know that when Cueto is healthy, he’s a difference maker. For them, all hat matters right Cueto’s next 15, maybe 20 starts, as they make their push toward the postseason.
With Cueto off the board now, the trade market may start to open a bit. Let the games begin.
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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
