Johnny Cueto Opts Out of Minor League Contract with Rangers
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) – Two-time All-Star pitcher Johnny Cueto has chosen to opt out of his minor league contract with the Texas Rangers and was released from Triple-A Round Rock on Tuesday.
During his time with Round Rock, Cueto recorded a 2-1 win-loss record and a 5.71 ERA across nine starts. His final game was a win on Sunday, where he allowed three runs over six innings against El Paso. Over 41 innings since signing with the Rangers on April 24, Cueto tallied 34 strikeouts and eight walks.
Last season, the 38-year-old pitcher played for the Miami Marlins, where he went 1-4 with a 6.02 ERA in 10 starts and three relief appearances. His season was marred by a biceps injury that kept him on the injured list for over three months, and he was not included on the Marlins’ postseason roster.
Cueto was a key player in Kansas City’s 2015 World Series championship team and has connections with current Rangers’ general manager Chris Young and manager Bruce Bochy, having played under Bochy for four years in San Francisco. Cueto was an All-Star in 2016, boasting an 18-5 record and a 2.79 ERA in 32 starts for the Giants.
Throughout his 16-year career in the major leagues, Cueto has a 144-111 record with a 3.50 ERA in 368 games (363 starts), playing for Cincinnati (2008-15), Kansas City (2015), San Francisco (2016-21), the Chicago White Sox (2022), and Miami. He was the National League Cy Young Award runner-up in 2014, behind Clayton Kershaw, with a 20-9 record and 242 strikeouts in 243 2/3 innings for the Reds.
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