Cincinnati Reds general manager Walt Jocketty speaks to reporters Sunday in the Rockies interview room at Coors Field in Denver after Johnny Cueto was traded to the Royals. (Nick Groke, The Denver Post
Johnny Cueto walked into the Cincinnati Reds clubhouse Sunday morning at Coors Field and said: “Have I been traded yet?” He then put on his Reds uniform.
A strange scene unfolded in Denver before the Rockies and Reds finished a three-game series. And it all centered around the pitcher who .
The Reds on Sunday traded Cueto, after some apparent fits and starts, to the Kansas City Royals for three left-handed pitching prospects: Brandon Finnegan, John Lamb and Cody Reed. Finnegan and Lamb will report to Cincy’s Triple-A affiliate in Nashville. Reed heads to the Double-A Pensacola Blue Wahoos.
Walt Jocketty, the Reds’ president and general manager, stood in front of Rockies logo wallpaper in a last-minute press conference before Sunday’s game, explaining the trade and how it went down.
Johnny Cueto works against the Rockies on Saturday at Coors Field. (David Zalubowski, The Associated Press)
“It’s a tough trade to make. Johnny’s been a part of the organization a long time. We have great affection for him. So it’s difficult” Jocketty said. “But we’re in a position where this is the best thing for our franchise right now. We got three quality left-handed pitchers we think very highly of.”
Like Troy Tulowitzki with the Rockies, Cueto has only ever played for the Reds in his eight big-league seasons. But Cincinnati, with Cueto’s contract up at the end of the year, found an option to, they hope, rebuild their rotation with young arms. They didn’t hesitate trading their ace.
“There was a lot of interest in Johnny. We felt this was the best value we could get for him,” Johnny said. “And Johnny is going to a great situation there. He’s got a team that has a chance to go to a World Series.”
Jocketty said the Reds were talking to two other clubs, beyond the Royals, until late last night, after Cueto threw eight, four-hit innings against the Rockies.
— in a fascinating behind-the-scenes account — that he thought he’d been traded before Saturday’s game.
“It was really bad the way I found out what happened. My head went around the whole way. My thoughts were all over the place,” . “It was something really bad.”
On Sunday at Coors Field, outside the visitors clubhouse, Cueto had part of himself in Denver, in Cincinnati and in Kansas City.
“I know it’s a good trade. But I’m very sad,” said Cueto, who will join the Royals on Tuesday.
“I understand it’s part of the game. I’m excited about my next step… (The Royals) have a great team. I know they play baseball very well. It’s going to be good for my career and for the team.”
The Royals, already among the World Series contenders, added a top-line pitcher.
“He’s one of the best pitchers in the game,”
Tags: Cincinnati Reds, Coors Field, Johnny Cueto, Kansas City Royals, Royals, Troy Tulowitzki
