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Johnny Cueto Opts Out Of Minor League Deal With Rangers

By Darragh McDonald | July 2, 2024 at 1:41pm CDT

Right-hander Johnny Cueto has exercised the opt-out in his minor league deal with the Rangers, per Jon Heyman of The New York Post on X. The veteran is now a free agent, per Ari Alexander of KPRC 2 on X.

Cueto, 38, signed a minor league deal with the Rangers back in April. By the end of May, he had made four minor league starts, allowing five earned runs in 18 innings for a tidy ERA of 2.50. It seemed the Rangers had some interest in adding him to the roster down the line but couldn’t find space right away, so the two sides agreed to kick his opt-outs down the road to June 14 and July 1.

Since then, his results have dropped off. He’s made five starts since the start of June, with two of them being seven-run clunkers. Overall, he’s allowed 21 earned runs in 23 innings over those five most recent outings, giving him a 5.71 ERA in the minors this year.

While Cueto has struggled, the rotation in Texas has gotten more crowded. Nathan Eovaldi was reinstated from the injured list at the end of May, with Jon Gray and Max Scherzer following in the month of June, taking spots alongside Andrew Heaney and Michael Lorenzen. Those reinstatements bumped Dane Dunning and José Ureña into long relief roles despite having some decent numbers on the year.

With the combination of Cueto’s numbers and the rotation picture in Arlington, it’s understandable that the club didn’t want to add him to the roster, making this opt-out a logical next step for the righty. He’ll head to the open market and look for a better path back to the big leagues elsewhere.

Though the numbers in Triple-A haven’t been great, Cueto has a lengthy track record in the majors. He has a 3.50 ERA in over 2,000 innings dating back to his 2008 debut. The results have been shakier lately, as he’s finished three of the past five MLB seasons with an ERA above 5.00. That includes last year, when injuries limited him to 52 1/3 innings with the Marlins with a 6.02 ERA. But as recently as 2022, he tossed 158 1/3 with the White Sox while keeping his ERA down to 3.35.

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Texas Rangers Transactions Johnny Cueto

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View Comments (41)
Post a Comment

41 Comments

  1. CBeisbol

    1 year ago

    Dodgers, take a look

    Reply
    • letitbelowenstein

      1 year ago

      O’s couldn’t be that desperate.

      Reply
    • SteveFinleyEnthusiast

      1 year ago

      I think the meet and greet with Josie alone should get it done

      1
      Reply
    • pharmor_loverchicagoridge

      1 year ago

      You are an idiota …adios

      1
      Reply
  2. _Soulrocker_

    1 year ago

    Brewers, they NEED rotation help.

    3
    Reply
    • minor league guy

      1 year ago

      my thoughts exactly

      2
      Reply
    • Johnny Devil

      1 year ago

      Cueto just got lit up at triple A badly and is 38 are your brewers that desperate my beer chugging,pretzel head ?? Bring back rollie fingers to strengthen the backend of your bullpen? Wow !! Is this the state of baseball or do we need to say hey willie mays bring the entire Japanese top 50 pitching prospects on over ?

      Reply
      • colonel flagg

        1 year ago

        They just acquired Dallas Keuchel last week. Is that not a desperate move? Fingers? No. Moose Haas? Maybe. Ben Sheets? Yes.

        2
        Reply
      • _Soulrocker_

        1 year ago

        What’s your beef with Cueto? And yes, the brewers starting rotation needs all the help they can get. Can you get through 5 innings? If you can send a video to the brewers and get going.

        1
        Reply
        • Johnny Devil

          1 year ago

          I do not throw myself out there as bonafide major league pitcher my clueless friend and after perusing cuetos stats he hasn’t been one since 2016. The brew crew are obviously grasping for another cold one after dallas. Sorry to burst your beer bubble soulman but it’s 2 AM and the bar is closed for the brewers and the crew.

          Reply
  3. Longtimecoming

    1 year ago

    I’ve thought this guy was a flyer worth taking for the past 6 months. Now with all of the injuries since season started I’d say 10-12 teams easy should at least offer a major league deal at 2 + incentives.

    2
    Reply
  4. Old York

    1 year ago

    Minors numbers look terrible. 8 games started in AAA, 5.92 ERA.

    He’s cooked.

    8
    Reply
    • Johnny Devil

      1 year ago

      Old Dork and I finally agree. Think I will have another toke.

      Reply
      • Old York

        1 year ago

        @The King Buddhas Stepson

        You’ve already been cooked.

        1
        Reply
        • Johnny Devil

          1 year ago

          By the sound of that retort seems the reverse is true, I expected better from a seasoned horses behind.

          Reply
  5. Monkey’s Uncle

    1 year ago

    Looks like Cueto dropped the ball on this opportunity.

    1
    Reply
  6. This one belongs to the Reds

    1 year ago

    Maybe the Reds can bring him home, stash him at Louisville and see if Derek Johnson can figure him out.

    2
    Reply
    • Bobcastelliniscat

      1 year ago

      Wouldn’t be a bad idea. Lodolo, Greene and Abbott innings pitched is getting up there. Same for Montas who only pitched an inning and a third last season. Plus I really like Cueto. Come on, Krall bring Johnny home.

      2
      Reply
  7. atleastwetried

    1 year ago

    Any veteran available for cheap at this point feels like a Brewers move. They need whatever they can get.

    1
    Reply
    • Old York

      1 year ago

      @atleastwetried

      Except for Bauer.

      2
      Reply
      • Johnny Devil

        1 year ago

        Still a dork .

        Reply
        • Old York

          1 year ago

          @The King Buddhas Stepson

          Who is a dork?

          Reply
        • Johnny Devil

          1 year ago

          Bauers surrogate mouthpiece. His advocate on this particular site. His defender of workplace choice. Not employer’s choice. That be you ??

          Reply
      • Trump4TheWin

        1 year ago

        Trevor Bauer would be a great, inexpensive pickup for any team in the hunt presently. The problem with picking him up is the leftist media mob will come after you with pitch forks as they act as they’re the true crusaders for morality in the US. We all realize that fallacy.

        #FreeTrevorBauer

        1
        Reply
    • keysox

      1 year ago

      Brewers should trade Frelick and Mitchell to WSox for Freddie and Flexton

      1
      Reply
  8. Bigthin13

    1 year ago

    I bet the Angels will be interested

    Reply
    • keysox

      1 year ago

      Why – their done

      Reply
  9. bag o ballz

    1 year ago

    damn I didn’t realize he was still pitching anywhere

    Reply
  10. Daryl Pauley

    1 year ago

    Johnny Cueto is a Cardinals move waiting to happen. We need a #1 or #2 starting pitcher. A match made in he………

    Reply
    • Jackalopal

      1 year ago

      I can promise you he’s still not welcome in that org

      1
      Reply
  11. Mopargary

    1 year ago

    Astros, Take a look.

    Reply
  12. Al Hirschen

    1 year ago

    Mets

    Reply
  13. 408inthe619

    1 year ago

    Padres need some depth options. Adam Mazur ain’t it.

    1
    Reply
    • Longtimecoming

      1 year ago

      If history is a guide, Preller will add someone that is a lot better than 2024 version of Cueto. Mazur needs more time in AAA. He has been rocky but the jury is still out on him. He wasn’t supposed to be up so we can throw out 2024 and wait for 2025 on him.

      Reply
  14. Jackalopal

    1 year ago

    Cueto and Greinke not being in mlb rotations is crazy

    2
    Reply
    • oldgfan

      1 year ago

      Really ?
      Both should be in comfy recliners, watching MLB.

      Reply
  15. AMiCk ĐOGEron

    1 year ago

    Come home to Cincinnati and shore up that bullpen/get some spot starts. Could be a great addition for not much money.

    2
    Reply
    • Bobcastelliniscat

      1 year ago

      I agree, also the Reds starters are all getting up there in innings pitch. Bring Johnny home!

      2
      Reply
  16. ElitebFour3

    1 year ago

    Why sign Cueto when there’s an available Free Agent pitcher who is still in his prime years, still dominating, and he could be the ACE on more than 3/4 of the teams in the league. And he can be had at league minimum. Trevor Bauer

    2
    Reply
    • AMiCk ĐOGEron

      1 year ago

      I’d get them both. League minimum, shore up the back end of the rotation/bullpen that struggles to get outs.

      Both should come home to Cincinnati.

      Reply
  17. Jerry Hairston Jr's Toupee

    1 year ago

    Plenty teams desperate for starting pitching….

    Reply

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