Johnny Cueto, who pitched for the Cincinnati Reds for the first eight seasons of his Major League Baseball career from 2008 to 2015, is scheduled to make his Chicago White Sox debut in a start Monday night against the Royals in Kansas City.
On Monday, the White Sox announced that they purchased Cueto's contract from Triple-A Charlotte.
White Sox manager Tony La Russa, who opposed Cueto several times between 2008 and 2011 when La Russa managed the St. Louis Cardinals and Cueto pitched for the Reds, suggested earlier this month that Cueto could be pitching for the big-league club soon, and added that Cueto can help the White Sox.
Last month, La Russa said he was excited to add Cueto to the team's Triple-A roster. Cueto allowed one hit without a walk while striking out six in four innings April 28 for Charlotte.
Cueto, 36, agreed in April to a minor-league deal with the White Sox.
"Whenever he pitched against us, he was a pitcher more than a thrower," La Russa said on Tuesday of Cueto, who agreed with the White Sox a Minor League deal the day before. "He had excellent command of three or four pitches that became like 10 or 12 because he had different angles coming at you.
"It's an exciting move. We're looking forward to it. ... anxious to get him here, get him to [Triple-A] Charlotte. We've seen some videos and stuff of his workouts and his throwing, but you have to eyeball him. Very positive move for us."
From @JohnnyCueto via Twitter in April:
The Giants signed Cueto to a six-year, $130-million contract after the 2015 season after he helped the Kansas City Royals to the 2015 World Series title. Cueto spent the first few months of that season with the Reds, before they traded him to the Royals for pitchers Brandon Finnegan, John Lamb and Cody Reed.
Cueto posted a 4.08 ERA in 22 games last season, and a 5.40 ERA in 12 games during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. Injuries limited Cueto to just 13 appearances over two seasons in 2018 and 2019.
Through six seasons with the Giants, Cueto was 39-27 with a 3.81 ERA in 104 appearances.
Cueto was 92-63 with a 3.21 ERA in 213 appearances - all starts - as a Red. He allowed just 135 home runs over 1339 innings and posted a 1.165 WHIP in Cincinnati, finishing fourth in Cy Young Award voting in 2012 and second in 2014.
Cueto was an All-Star in 2014 as a Red and 2016 with the Giants.
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