The shimmy is returning to a major league mound. Veteran starting pitcher Johnny Cueto is set to have his contract selected by the Angels, where he’ll be tasked with facing his former team, the Kansas City Royals, on Wednesday.
No move will be required for him to join the 40-man roster since the Angels released Luis Guillorme over the weekend. This will be the sixth franchise that Cueto will suit up with.
The 38-year-old veteran starter threw in ten starts last season with the Miami Marlins, recording a 1-4 record and posting a 6.02 ERA pitching in 13 games. The strikeout numbers were down significantly, where he struck out 39 batters in 52.1 innings of work.
The two-time All-Star had signed a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers at the beginning of the 2024 season. He threw in eight starts with Triple-A Round Rock, posting a 5.92 ERA with 30 strikeouts in 38 innings on the hill. The Rangers would release him in July, and two weeks later, he would sign another minors pact with the Los Angeles Angels.
Cueto reported to Triple-A Salt Lake, where he was able to get into a groove in the Bees’ rotation. He posted a 3-0 record in four starts, a 3.09 ERA, striking out 15, walking five batters in 23.1 innings. In his last start with Triple-A on Aug. 14, Cueto pitched five innings, giving up eight hits, allowing two earned runs, and walking three while punching out six batters.
The Angels are currently in last place in the A.L. West division, falling behind the Oakland Athletics. The Angels are certainly hoping Cueto’s veteran presence can help their young pitching staff, as it seems they will be more focused on preparing for the 2025 season.
_____
WBN MLB: https://worldbaseball.com/league/mlb/
Photo Credit: Johnny Cueto #47 of the Miami Marlins reacts after giving up a home run in the second inning against the New York Mets. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
