9:15pm: Cueto will rest for a week before being reevaluated, per Pavlovic. The team expects him to return to the rotation this year, though there apparently will not be a specific timeline on that return until next week’s reassessment.
6:15pm: Pavolvic tweets that the further examination of Cueto’s injury revealed no damage to his ulnar collateral ligament. Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets that Cueto has a mild flexor strain.
8:45am: Giants righty Johnny Cueto had been working back from a blister problem when he took the hill for a rehab start last night. But he ended up leaving halfway through his scheduled outing with forearm tightness, as Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
At this point, it’s too soon to know the prognosis. Cueto is set for a full examination by the team’s medical staff today, and it’s certainly possible that the problem isn’t indicative of a significant injury.
That said, forearm discomfort is often tied to other issues in and around the elbow joint, so the club will surely exercise caution with the veteran right-hander. Even in the best-case scenario, it seems likely that Cueto’s DL stint will be longer than had been anticipated as he and the club work to ensure that he’s at full health before pushing down on the gas pedal. And the longer he lays off, the more time that will be required to build him back up to the major league mound.
Just when Cueto will be back, then, isn’t at all clear at present. And that begins to raise new questions about the status of his opt-out decision at season’s end. Cueto will be deciding between a return to the free-agent market — this time with a possible qualifying offer weighing him with some draft compensation — and a return to San Francisco for at least four more years and a guaranteed $84MM. (Either way, Cueto will also be entitled to $4MM more on his signing bonus as well as a $5MM buyout of a $22MM club option for 2022.)
The injury illustrates just why it was always going to be tough for the Giants to trade Cueto this summer. Even assuming away the possibility of a major injury, the uncertainty of Cueto’s intentions left suitors unsure whether they’d be adding a rental or a major long-term commitment. As it stands, that’s just what San Francisco is wondering — though, fortunately, the team is still interested in employing the veteran (assuming he’s healthy) into the future.
Even before the blister and forearm issues arose, there were growing questions as to whether Cueto would stay or go. The 31-year-old had thrown 115 2/3 innings over 19 starts on the year before hitting the DL, but sports an uncharacteristic 4.59 ERA. He does carry a fairly typical 8.0 K/9 and a 10.6% swinging-strike rate that’s higher than his career average. And he has not sported
While there were no major red flags prior to Cueto’s DL stint, there were signs of some decline. He has permitted more hard contact than ever while coughing up 1.48 homers per nine. His groundball rate has fallen to below forty percent after topping fifty last year, he has walked more than three batters per nine (his highest rate since 2009), and he’s averaging just under 92 mph with his fastball for the first time in his career.
Shut him down, Giants are out this year anyway
If he’s healthy, shutting him down in a season he can can opt out after would certainly be challenged by the Player’s Union.
The health issues began in 2015, but he pitched through them, although he clearly was not the same pitcher he was pre-2015. I’d say there’s less than 25% chance he opts out, and if he needs TJ surgery he’ll be out until some time in 2019. Giants seem to be cursed when it comes to long term pitchers contracts aside from MadBum.
That’s probably because Madbum hasn’t been given his long term contract yet…..
He already signed a 7 year contract, just because he’s still young doesn’t mean he hasn’t been give a long term deal already.
Exhibit # 362 why you should never give any pitcher more than a 3 year deal?
Better be good at developing pitchers because you’ll never sign top of the rotation talents with that rule.
So your approach would be to never sign any top-rated FA pitcher, I guess, because no top-rated FA pitchers are going to sign a 3-year contract.
Uh oh
Now he’s definitely not opting out
Would anyone consider this a good thing? Means Cueto doesn’t opt out and SF hopefully have him healthy next year? Or would SF fans prefer he did opt out so they could sign someone else?
Nah, if he returns to form for next year I’d be happy to keep him
As a Giant’s fan I hope he doesn’t opt out. I think his struggles this season are due to the season long battle with blisters. Cueto isn’t the only pitcher to suddenly have this problem for the first time over their career. MLB has to look at the ball and reverse the changes to it. There’s too much at stake for top talent. If not I’m sure Cueto will make adjustments. I expect something more like 2016 production, next year, instead of 2017.
Unfortunately I think he opts out. He’s said he would, and I think he’s got the confidence to take the risk.
The blister bug is interesting. I wonder if there’s correlation between that and the new, or “juiced”, baseballs.
At least one pitcher claimed that the change in baseballs is causing this. I forget who it was.
I thought Aaron Sanchez said something about the ball and rich hill. But yeah this is something strange with the ball, they said something about the “seams” across of it causing the problem.
You mean he had a forearm injury and he’s not getting Tommy John? Phew, glad he’s a part of the “1%”!
Not yet at least. Espinoza, Erlin and Rea all lasted several months between being diagnosed with a forearm strain and needing TJS. If I’m a GM I’d be hesitant about trading for any pitcher with a recent forearm injury.
And why is it that literally every comment from you is you targeting other commenters? At least other commenters are able to talk baseball, even if they don’t always have the soundest ideas. Community ain’t got a need for your obnoxious bullying attitude.
You’re laughable. I talk baseball with everyone else on this site, you sir, sorry, boy, are the bully obnoxious person.
No you don’t. Literally all your comments on here that I’ve seen are you coming after me and a few others for no reason. I hadn’t even commented on this thread and wouldn’t have if you hadn’t felt the need to be a pot-stirrer.
And I’m a “bully obnoxious person?” You grammar good.
I actually talk baseball with many people in here. It’s you who is the bully. Nobody can have a opinion that differs from yours without you accusing them of being uneducated. Even in your comment just now, “at least other commenters are able to talk baseball, even if they don’t always have the soundest ideas.” Just because you don’t come straight out and tell people you think they’re stupid, doesn’t mean someone won’t be able to read between the lines and see what you’re doing. You’re a joke.
Show me. Don’t tell me.
You come after others who make largely innocuous comments and I’m the bully? How does that work?
I only accuse people of being uneducated if they insist on a point that is objectively wrong.
Everyone except you can clearly see who is the joke here.
The joke is here: Hear about the boy that swallowed 6 plastic horses? Doctors listed his condition as stable.
The joke is here: Hear about the boy that swallowed 6 plastic horses? Doctors listed his condition as stable
Posted 2 times. Twice as funny?
I’m still laughing! LOL! Thanks!
I laughed
Key word is objectively, and sorry I didn’t put the correct grammar, I was busy getting ready to go to my job. Unlike you who probably had mommy and daddy pay for you to go to college. Everyone has a opinion, and you insist on telling everyone that they are wrong. I call you and JAF out on your bs, and you cry about it. Still convinced you two are the same person with two accounts. Yet to see either of you comment on the same article, ever. Peace! ✌️✌️✌️✌️
Yes, objectively wrong. Like Chapman foregoing free agency.
You still have no idea what I or anyone else on here has or does in their own private life so perhaps you should get a life of your own outside of avidly trolling this site before you purport to know that.
I insist on telling wrong people (like you) when they are wrong.
JAF and I have commented on the same article plenty of times I believe. And that really doesn’t prove anything wrt us being or not being the same person. I know this is my only account. You can believe what you want.
Downvoting all my comment doesn’t prove anything other than your lack of a life.
I see you are back to the emojis again. You gonna keep commenting that for like a week? Pathetic, but at the same time hilarious.