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Cincinnati Reds trading Johnny Cueto to Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals acquired Johnny Cueto in a trade with Cincinnati on Sunday, sending three prospects to the Reds for a legitimate ace for the front of their beleaguered rotation.
The Royals also received cash considerations in the deal, which saw Kansas City send left-handers Brandon Finnegan, John Lamb and Cody Reed to Cincinnati.
Cueto, 29, is 7-6 with a 2.62 ERA this season. He is coming off a 5-2 win over the Colorado Rockies on Saturday night in which he threw eight shutout innings and allowed four hits.
The right-hander made his major league debut with Cincinnati in 2008 and is 92-63 with a 3.21 ERA in eight seasons. He thanked the organization after Sunday's trade was announced.
Cueto joins a Royals team that entered Sunday leading the American League Central by 6.5 games. But the Kansas City rotation could use a boost with right-hander Yordano Ventura struggling and lefty Jason Vargas out for the season with a torn ulnar ligament in his left elbow.
A 2014 All-Star, Cueto finished second in Cy Young Award voting last year after going 20-9 with a 2.25 ERA. He has been one of the lone bright spots this season for the Reds, who entered Sunday 43-52.
Manager Bryan Price indicated Saturday that a trade could come at any point.
"Right now, we know that there are a lot of people after our players," Price said. "We've got to be prepared for anything that could happen. There are times we've got to concern ourselves with 'what if?' There's a protocol. We've got players that may be dealt. We've got to make sure all our bases are covered. We can't go out and have a bullpen day."
Cueto said a teammate had told him he already had been traded before Saturday's start.
"They said something to me," Cueto told reporters after the game. "I don't want to use a bad word in this location, but it was really bad the way I found out what happened. My head went around the whole way. My thoughts were all over the place."
Fox Sports reported earlier Sunday that Kansas City had been on the verge of acquiring Cueto but the deal fell through because a Royals player who was to be included in the swap had a medical issue. Sources told ESPN the teams still were working to make the trade happen despite Saturday's hiccup, leading to its finalization later Sunday.
Finnegan and Lamb were assigned to Triple-A Louisville, and Reed went to Double-A Pensacola.
Finnegan was selected by the Royals in the first round of last year's draft. He made seven playoff appearances in 2014, but has split time between Triple-A Omaha and Kansas City this year.
The 25-year-old Lamb, a fifth-round pick in 2008, is 9-1 with a 2.67 ERA in 17 starts for Omaha.
The deal for Cueto is indicative of the new reality for Kansas City, which used to trade away its top players for prospects at the deadline. Not so much right now, and the Royals are trying to take full advantage of their window for contention.
Several top young players, such as first baseman Eric Hosmer and All-Star third baseman Mike Moustakas, are eligible for arbitration and becoming more expensive by the year.
While Royals owner David Glass has been willing to increase their payroll to franchise-record levels, Kansas City may have only a couple of years to make another run at a title before finances force them into a rebuilding mode.
The deal also reunites Edinson Volquez and Cueto after the pitchers spent four years together in Cincinnati. The close friends are from the Dominican Republic, and Volquez, who signed a $20 million, two-year deal with the Royals this past offseason, served as a mentor to Cueto when he broke into the big leagues in 2008.
They have even spoken of their desire to play together once again.
The Royals also received cash considerations in the deal, which saw Kansas City send left-handers Brandon Finnegan, John Lamb and Cody Reed to Cincinnati.
Cueto, 29, is 7-6 with a 2.62 ERA this season. He is coming off a 5-2 win over the Colorado Rockies on Saturday night in which he threw eight shutout innings and allowed four hits.
The right-hander made his major league debut with Cincinnati in 2008 and is 92-63 with a 3.21 ERA in eight seasons. He thanked the organization after Sunday's trade was announced.
Cueto joins a Royals team that entered Sunday leading the American League Central by 6.5 games. But the Kansas City rotation could use a boost with right-hander Yordano Ventura struggling and lefty Jason Vargas out for the season with a torn ulnar ligament in his left elbow.
A 2014 All-Star, Cueto finished second in Cy Young Award voting last year after going 20-9 with a 2.25 ERA. He has been one of the lone bright spots this season for the Reds, who entered Sunday 43-52.
Manager Bryan Price indicated Saturday that a trade could come at any point.
"Right now, we know that there are a lot of people after our players," Price said. "We've got to be prepared for anything that could happen. There are times we've got to concern ourselves with 'what if?' There's a protocol. We've got players that may be dealt. We've got to make sure all our bases are covered. We can't go out and have a bullpen day."
Cueto said a teammate had told him he already had been traded before Saturday's start.
"They said something to me," Cueto told reporters after the game. "I don't want to use a bad word in this location, but it was really bad the way I found out what happened. My head went around the whole way. My thoughts were all over the place."
Fox Sports reported earlier Sunday that Kansas City had been on the verge of acquiring Cueto but the deal fell through because a Royals player who was to be included in the swap had a medical issue. Sources told ESPN the teams still were working to make the trade happen despite Saturday's hiccup, leading to its finalization later Sunday.
Finnegan and Lamb were assigned to Triple-A Louisville, and Reed went to Double-A Pensacola.
Finnegan was selected by the Royals in the first round of last year's draft. He made seven playoff appearances in 2014, but has split time between Triple-A Omaha and Kansas City this year.
The 25-year-old Lamb, a fifth-round pick in 2008, is 9-1 with a 2.67 ERA in 17 starts for Omaha.
The deal for Cueto is indicative of the new reality for Kansas City, which used to trade away its top players for prospects at the deadline. Not so much right now, and the Royals are trying to take full advantage of their window for contention.
Several top young players, such as first baseman Eric Hosmer and All-Star third baseman Mike Moustakas, are eligible for arbitration and becoming more expensive by the year.
While Royals owner David Glass has been willing to increase their payroll to franchise-record levels, Kansas City may have only a couple of years to make another run at a title before finances force them into a rebuilding mode.
The deal also reunites Edinson Volquez and Cueto after the pitchers spent four years together in Cincinnati. The close friends are from the Dominican Republic, and Volquez, who signed a $20 million, two-year deal with the Royals this past offseason, served as a mentor to Cueto when he broke into the big leagues in 2008.
They have even spoken of their desire to play together once again.