Free-agent starting pitcher Johnny Cueto has agreed to sign a deal with the San Francisco Giants for a six-year $130 million contract, pending physical.
According to Yahoo Sports, Cueto, 29 swayed between excellences and failing after a trade-deadline deal to the Kansas City Royals thrust him into the playoff core. His last game with Kansas City was his best, a complete-game two-hitter in Game 2 of the World Series that removed an implosion in ALCS and showcased the best he has shown for five years.
Cueto became one of the game's most consistent starters with the Cincinnati Reds. His ERA starting with a "2" for four successive years and his innings total is more than 200. He was signed by the Reds out of the Dominican Republic. He was looking for a huge payday and landed it with the aggressive Giants. He got it and he got an opt-out clause for two years.
He turned down $120 million offered by the Arizona Diamondbacks, who later acquired Zack Greinke for more than $200 million. Cueto waited out the market and got the chance to be with the Giants team who is loading up for another even-year World Series run.
He now joins a fierce team up with south-paw Madison Bumgarner and Jeff Samardzija who just signed a five-year $90 million contract last week, according to USA Today.
He figures to improve pitching in the NL West -- he has a 1.69 ERA in three career starts in San Francisco -- as he was one of the NL's most powerful starters while calling hitter-friendly Great America Ballpark home.
His career record is 96-70, spending six seasons with Kansas City and two seasons with the Reds. Cueto's best season came in 2013, when he was a Cy Young runner-up to Clayton Krenshaw. That year, he led the NL with 242 strikeouts in a league-high 243 2/3 innings, finished second in WHIP with 0.96 and won 20 games.
