These Three Teams are Reportedly Pursuing Free Agent Johnny Cueto

The San Diego Padres, Cincinnati Reds and Miami Marlins are among teams targeting free agent starting pitcher Johnny Cueto, The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reports.

The San Diego Padres, Cincinnati Reds and Miami Marlins are among teams targeting free agent starting pitcher Johnny Cueto, The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reports.

Padres, Marlins vying for free-agent right-hander Johnny Cueto, sources tell @TheAthletic. Reds also interested.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 4, 2023

Cueto experienced a bounce-back year in 2022, as a member of the Chicago White Sox, logging a 3.35 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 118 ERA+ over 24 starts and 158.1 innings pitched.

The White Sox signed Cueto to a minor league deal on April 4, 2022, and struck gold, as Cueto would be the club's second best starting pitcher behind ace Dylan Cease.

Instead of bringing back Cueto, the Sox opted to sign Mike Clevinger to a one-year, $8 million contract, filling out their rotation for 2023. It seems unlikely that Cueto will return to the South Side.

Cueto will be 37 before the start of the 2023 Major League season, but remains a desirable option for at least a handful of teams.

The Marlins could use a veteran in their rotation. The Padres are still figuring out the back-end of their rotation. The Padres and White Sox may very well end up swapping fifth-starters, if San Diego signs Cueto, as the Clevinger left San Diego to join the White Sox. A return to Cincinnati would be a fun story for the Reds and for Cueto, as that is where he began his career.

Cueto had logged a 4.59 ERA from 2019 through 2021, in his final years with the San Francisco Giants.

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