Johnny Cueto tossed another gem on Tuesday night, except this one was the best of his season and it couldn't have come at a better time. His complete game, two-hit shutout defeated Max Scherzer and the Washington Nationals. Will the Cincinnati Reds trade him before his next start?
Cueto has thrown 100 pitches or more in 13 of his 16 outings this season and since he dealt with elbow inflammation back in late May, it's likely the Reds will do all they can to preserve his health in order to keep his trade value as high as possible. His value is perhaps at its peak right now, and recent trade rumors have linked him to the Los Angeles Dodgers, Houston Astros, Kansas City Royals and others.
When will the Reds trade him?
"It's possible, after all, that this could have been Cueto's final start in a Reds uniform," David Schoenfield of ESPN wrote after the Reds' win. "With the Reds now 38-44 -- 7 1/2 games behind the Cubs for the second wild-card spot -- and Cueto a free agent at season's end, he might be the top player available at the trade deadline. He would be better than Cole Hamels and also less costly to acquire since he's just a two-month rental. Considering the 122 pitches he threw, the Reds are unlikely to start him on Sunday, especially since he's already missed one start with a sore elbow and had a recent start pushed back a few days."
The right-hander's trade value has already been affected by his impending free-agent status as well as his elbow issue this year, so if the Reds plan on trading him it could be most prudent to do so right now. In his last three starts against the Nationals, Minnesota Twins and New York Mets, Cueto is 2-1 with a 1.17 ERA and 25 strikeouts.
He improved to 6-5 with a 2.61 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and 111 strikeouts in 16 starts (113 2/3 innings) after last night.
The Dodgers have long been linked to Cueto in trade rumors because of the countless injuries their starting rotation has suffered. As the trade deadline approaches it's possible L.A. makes an early move for Cueto, especially after Brett Anderson was knocked around by the Philadelphia Phillies last night and Carlos Frias was placed on the disabled list over the weekend.
Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times posits the Dodgers' potential pursuit of Phillies' starter Cole Hamels, but he also enumerates some unattractive aspects of such a deal, which could pave the way for the acquisition of a less costly starter such as Cueto.
"Could the Dodgers add Hamels to a rotation that already includes Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke?
"Considering the expected cost for Hamels - not only the $70.5 million the three-time All-Star is owed over the next three seasons, but also the prospects that would have to be sent to the Phillies in return - the Dodgers are likely to explore considerably more modest options as well.
"At this point, the addition of any pitcher capable of holding a place in the rotation would count as an upgrade."
Although Cueto will be a free agent after the season, the Dodgers will have the money to offer him the massive contract he wants, further indicating the team could make a move for him. And imagine a three-man rotation of Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke and Cueto in the postseason?
As for Houston, the Astros (49-37) have long been considering another established arm to join the top of their rotation because Dallas Keuchel and youngster Lance McCullers have been the only consistent options thus far.
Evan Drellich of the Houston Chronicle reported in late June that Cueto "is the most attractive acquisition to the Astros at the moment."
As they sit atop the AL West by 2.5 games, general manager Jeff Luhnow will certainly look to upgrade the rotation before the deadline and Cueto is a top option for them.
And last but not least, the Kansas City Royals are a dark horse candidate to land the Reds' ace.
The Royals' staff hasn't exactly been what many expected. Yordano Ventura was struggling before he hit the disabled list; Danny Duffy and Jason Vargas have combined for only 19 starts; and Jeremy Guthrie and Joe Blanton have ERAs over 5.30 as a starter. Despite all that, the Royals (48-33) are atop the AL Central with a 4.5 game lead over the Minnesota Twins.
However, the key is still getting through a postseason series, and if the season ended today, the only arm they could rely on is Edinson Volquez.
"They need a No. 1 starter. Not because it will make that big of a difference in terms of their winning the Central, but because they want to win short-season series in October," ESPN's Christina Kahrl wrote on Monday.
"Why Johnny Cueto works for the Royals, perhaps more than for any other team that might put itself into that kind of conversation, is because of how he fits into this team. Durability is the question mark that Cueto has been tagged with after three DL stints in 2013 for shoulder trouble and more recent worries associated with his elbow. Say Ned Yost manages that risk aggressively, and say Cueto is more of a six- to seven-inning guy in the DH league -- that isn't a problem for K.C., not on this team. With a bullpen this deep and a defense this good, that helps take the pressure off Cueto to try to be something more than he is -- merely one of baseball's best starters, despite pitching in the homer-happy Gap."
But don't forget about the other teams that could chase a top starter before the deadline. The New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles, Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs, Toronto Blue Jays, Detroit Tigers and others are in the market to make such a move.
There will be much demand for Cueto and he could be moved in the very near future.