Royals see Johnny Cueto not as savior, but mere 'piece of the puzzle'
CLEVELAND - The Kansas City Royals are excited about welcoming Johnny Cueto to their clubhouse Tuesday afternoon, but not quite as deliriously happy as one might expect for a team in need of an ace pitcher.
Of course, the Royals have done quite well without Cueto as they entered Monday night’s game against the Cleveland Indians with a 59-38 record, the best in the American League.
Kansas City led the Minnesota Twins by 7 1/2 games in the AL Central, the largest cushion of any of the major leagues’ six division leaders.
“We already had a good team and we were already confident we could go far,” center fielder Lorenzo Cain said prior to Monday night’s game. “He just makes us that much better. It’s nice that management went out and got a player like that to help us try to achieve our ultimate goal. He’s another piece to the puzzle.”
The Royals acquired Cueto from the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday in a trade for three left-handed pitching prospects. The right-hander will debut for his new team Friday night when he starts against the Blue Jays at Toronto.
MLB SALARIES: Baseball's top 25 highest-paid players in 2024
Cueto will join the Royals on Tuesday. The Reds were playing at Colorado when the trade was made and Cueto asked if he could have a day to return Cincinnati to gather personal belongings.
The Royals have had their eye on winning the World Series since about five minutes after losing a 3-2 heartbreaker to the visiting San Francisco Giants in Game 7 of last year’s Fall Classic.
However, their biggest question mark since the beginning of spring training has been the top of the rotation.
Cueto was just 7-6 in 19 starts for the Reds this season, but had a stellar 2.62 ERA. He was 20-9 a year ago in becoming the first Cincinnati pitcher to win 20 games since Danny Jackson went 23-8 in 1988.
“Anytime you can get a pitcher to put at the top of the rotation like Johnny, you’re going to be excited,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “We’re looking forward to him getting here and getting settled in with the guys.”
This trade can be compared to the Royals’ acquisition of right-hander James Shields from the Tampa Bay Rays in December 2012.
Shields went 27-17 with a 3.18 ERA in 68 regular-season starts in two seasons with Kansas City before leaving for the San Diego Padres in free agency in February. During his time with the Royals, Shields was noted almost as much for taking a leadership role with the pitching staff as he is on-field performance.
However, the Royals aren’t asking as much from Cueto, 29.
“We’re a different team now, much more experienced than when we got James,” Yost said. “We just want Johnny to come here and pitch the way he know he can and help us win as many games as he can.”
Cueto has been a winner throughout his career, going 92-63 in eight seasons with the Reds.
Royals right-hander Edinson Volquez was part of Cincinnati’s rotation when Cueto came to the major leagues in 2008 and they spent four seasons together in the Reds’ rotation. Volquez is excited to see his close friend come to Kansas City.
“He’s a really quiet guy and a smart guy,” Volquez said. “I think a lot of people here are going to like him. He’s very consistent. He can pitch. We were a good team before and we’re even better now that we have him.”
GALLERY: MLB trade deadline tracker
