Johnny Cueto

1. Overview

Johnny Cueto Ortiz (Johnny Cueto Ortiz_KWEH-toh^Spanish; born February 15, 1986) is a distinguished Dominican professional baseball pitcher known for his dynamic career in Major League Baseball (MLB). From his debut in 2008, Cueto established himself as a dominant force, notably becoming the Cincinnati Reds' ace and a two-time MLB All-Star. His career highlights include a 20-win season and a Cy Young Award runner-up finish, culminating in a World Series championship with the Kansas City Royals in 2015. From 2011 to 2017, Cueto accumulated the second-lowest ERA of all pitchers with at least 750 innings pitched (behind Clayton Kershaw), managing a 2.94 ERA alongside a 90-51 (.638) record in 1,256 and one-third innings. Beyond his statistical achievements, Cueto is recognized for his unique pitching style and a resilient journey to the top, overcoming physical limitations and challenges through sheer determination. His story reflects a dedicated athlete who made a significant impact on the sport.

2. Early Life

Johnny Cueto Ortiz was born on February 15, 1986, in San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic. His upbringing in the Dominican Republic shaped his early life and laid the foundation for his future in baseball.

3. Background and Influences

Cueto's path to Major League Baseball was marked by significant challenges, primarily due to concerns about his physical stature. Many teams were wary of his size, with some reportedly dismissing him as "too short" or even questioning his documented age. Despite being listed at 5 in, some believed he was closer to 5 in.

However, rather than succumbing to this criticism, Cueto drew immense inspiration from another undersized Dominican pitcher, Pedro Martínez. Martínez's success as an ace, despite not having the stereotypical pitcher's build, profoundly influenced Cueto. Cueto admired Martínez and stated, "Pedro has been my inspiration, the person for whom I decided to stop playing outfield to become a pitcher." He expressed a strong desire to meet Martínez, shake his hand, and tell him, "he has been my hero and my role model." This personal connection to Martínez's success fueled Cueto's determination to overcome his own physical hurdles and pursue a career as a pitcher, ultimately leading him to sign with the Cincinnati Reds in 2004.

4. Professional Career

Johnny Cueto's professional baseball career began in the minor leagues, where he honed his skills before making his Major League Baseball debut in 2008. He went on to establish himself as one of the premier pitchers in the league across various teams, achieving significant milestones and overcoming notable challenges, including a major injury that required Tommy John surgery.

4.2. Cincinnati Reds (2008-2015)

4.2.1. 2008: Rookie season

Johnny Cueto made his highly anticipated MLB debut on April 3, 2008, at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks. He impressively carried a perfect game through five innings before surrendering a home run to Justin Upton in the top of the sixth inning. This home run was the only baserunner he allowed, as he struck out 10 batters over seven innings. Cueto was credited with the win in his debut, which the Reds secured with a 3-2 victory. He became the first Reds pitcher since 1900 to record 10 strikeouts in his MLB debut, and the first MLB pitcher ever to achieve 10 strikeouts and 0 walks in his debut. Additionally, he was only the third pitcher in MLB history to record 10 strikeouts while allowing just one hit in their first outing.

Despite his stellar debut, Cueto's performance was inconsistent throughout his rookie season. While he started 1-0 with a 2.02 ERA through his first 13 and one-third innings with 18 strikeouts, his next eight starts saw him go 1-5 with a 6.65 ERA over 43 and one-third innings. He frequently struggled to pitch deep into games due to high pitch counts and a tendency to give up home runs. Cueto concluded the 2008 season with a 9-14 record and a 4.81 ERA across 31 starts (14 quality starts). Although he pitched only 174 innings, he recorded 158 strikeouts, the most among all National League rookies, yielding a K/9 ratio of 8.17, which ranked eighth in the league.

4.2.2. 2009: Hot and cold

Cueto began the 2009 season as the Reds' fourth starter. In his season debut, he allowed four earned runs in six innings in a 10-2 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates, despite striking out nine. However, he showed marked improvement over his next three starts, posting an ERA under 1.00 by allowing just two earned runs in 18 innings. On May 3, he pitched a career-high eight shutout innings, giving up four hits and one walk while striking out batters in a 5-0 victory against the Pirates. From April 22 to May 29, Cueto had a remarkable nine-start stretch where he pitched at least seven innings and allowed three earned runs or fewer in all but one of those outings.

Cueto maintained one of the strongest ERAs in the National League through the first three months of the season, leading the NL in ERA with a 2.17 mark over 87 innings by June 14. His walks per nine innings (BB/9) ratio also improved as the season progressed. Two weeks before the All-Star break, Cueto's record stood at 8-4 with a 2.69 ERA, a significant improvement from his rookie season. However, on July 6, 2009, he suffered the worst defeat of his young career against the Philadelphia Phillies, allowing nine earned runs on five hits and walking three, all within the first inning before being removed after only two outs. The Phillies scored 10 runs in that inning. Cueto struggled in the aftermath of this defeat, posting a 5.91 ERA over his final 13 starts with a 3-6 record, though his final six starts (3-1 with a 3.63 ERA) showed some promise. He finished the 2009 season with an 11-11 record and a 4.41 ERA in 30 starts. Over 171 and one-third innings, he struck out 132 batters and walked 61.

4.2.3. 2010: Increasing consistency

In 2010, Cueto started the season as the Reds' third pitcher. On May 11, he pitched a one-hit shutout against the Pittsburgh Pirates, striking out eight, walking none, and hitting one batter in a 9-0 Reds victory. Following this shutout, Cueto went 6-1 with a 3.01 ERA in his next 11 starts before the All-Star break, including a career-high streak of six consecutive wins.

On August 12, Cueto was suspended for seven games by Major League Baseball for "violent and aggressive actions" during a bench-clearing brawl in the first inning of the Reds' August 10 game against the St. Louis Cardinals. While pinned to the backstop, Cueto began to kick wildly at various Cardinals players, resulting in injuries to Chris Carpenter and Jason LaRue. LaRue sustained a severe concussion in the brawl, which ultimately forced him to retire after the season.

Cueto finished the 2010 season with a 12-7 record and a 3.64 ERA in 31 starts, pitching 185 and two-thirds innings. He recorded 138 strikeouts while allowing 56 walks, 19 home runs, and 181 hits. In Game 3 of the National League Division Series, he allowed two runs (one earned) in five innings and took the loss against Cole Hamels, who pitched a shutout. Following the 2010 season, the Reds and Cueto agreed to a four-year, 27.00 M USD contract.

4.2.4. 2011: Breakout year

Cueto began the 2011 season on the disabled list due to right triceps irritation sustained late in spring training. He returned on May 8, pitching six scoreless innings against the Chicago Cubs. Due to his missed starts, Cueto did not become eligible for the ERA race until his start against the San Francisco Giants on July 31, where he threw a three-hit, complete game shutout, taking the Major League Baseball lead with a 1.72 ERA. He temporarily lost eligibility twice due to insufficient innings but regained the National League lead in ERA after seven innings of shutout ball against the Colorado Rockies on August 11.

As the season progressed, Cueto increasingly incorporated a distinctive turn into his wind-up, a move often compared to Boston Red Sox legend Luis Tiant. By late July, his torso would face second base, and he would briefly pause before delivering the pitch. On August 25, he was tied with Jered Weaver for the best ERA in MLB at 2.03. On August 28, Cueto struck out a career-high 11 batters against the Washington Nationals, receiving a no-decision after throwing seven innings of two-run ball.

Cueto's bid for the ERA title and his season came to an early end on September 15 when he strained a muscle in his back while pitching against the Cubs. On September 20, the team decided to shut him down to prevent further injury. He concluded the 2011 season with a 9-5 record and a 2.31 ERA in 156 innings across 24 starts, falling six innings short of qualifying for the ERA title. Cueto struck out 104 batters, allowing just 123 hits, 47 walks, and eight home runs, also pitching three complete games, including one shutout.

4.2.5. 2012: Breaking the 200-inning plateau and Cy Young finalist

Cueto was the Opening Day starter for the Reds in 2012 and went on to have a career-best season. He won 19 games against only 9 losses, with a 2.78 ERA in 33 starts. He pitched 217 innings, allowing 205 hits and 15 home runs, while striking out 170 batters and walking only 49. Cueto set career bests in HR/9 (0.62), BB/9 (2.03), and K/BB (3.47) ratios, and his 7.05 K/9 ratio was his best since his rookie year. This was the first time in his career that he pitched over 200 innings in a single season.

He threw two complete games, including a one-run, seven-hit outing against the Pirates on May 4, and another one-run, six-hit game against the Cleveland Indians on June 12, both with no walks. During an 11-start stretch from May 30 to July 28, Cueto pitched 81 and one-third innings without allowing a home run, during which he posted an 8-3 record with a 2.27 ERA. He achieved 23 quality starts and ranked among the National League leaders in several categories, including third in wins and ERA, fourth in complete games, and fifth in innings pitched. The Reds clinched the National League Central Division title, securing the second-best record in baseball.

Cueto started Game 1 of the National League Division Series against the San Francisco Giants but had to leave after only eight pitches due to a strained muscle in his back. After the Giants won Game 3, the Reds replaced Cueto on the playoff roster with Mike Leake. Cueto ultimately finished fourth in the voting for the National League Cy Young Award, behind winner R. A. Dickey, Clayton Kershaw, and Gio González.

4.2.6. 2013: Injury plagued season

The 2013 season was largely hampered by a series of injuries for Cueto, including a lat strain, a shoulder strain, and persistent lat tightness. These issues limited him to only 11 starts for the season. In those 11 outings, Cueto posted a 5-2 record with a 2.82 ERA, recording 51 strikeouts over 60 and two-thirds innings, while holding opponents to a .209 batting average. He allowed no more than three earned runs in 10 of his 11 starts and no more than one earned run in eight of them.

Despite his limited availability, Cueto was chosen to start the 2013 National League Wild Card Game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He faced a boisterous Pittsburgh crowd that had not seen a playoff game in 20 years, who chanted his name loudly throughout the game in an attempt to rattle him. After giving up a second-inning home run to Pirates outfielder Marlon Byrd, Cueto famously dropped the ball off the mound, much to the delight of the 40,000-plus crowd. On the very next pitch, he gave up another home run to Pirates catcher Russell Martin, giving Pittsburgh an early 2-0 lead. Cueto allowed two more runs and was pulled after three and one-third innings, having given up four earned runs on eight hits. The Reds ultimately lost the game 6-2, and Cueto took the loss, ending both his and the Reds' season.

4.2.7. 2014: First All-Star selection and Cy Young runner up

After a disappointing, injury-plagued 2013 season, Cueto rebounded with one of the most dominant performances of his career in 2014. He began the season in excellent form, pitching at least seven innings and allowing no more than two earned runs and five hits in each of his first nine starts. In his third consecutive Opening Day start, he gave up just one run on three hits in seven innings, striking out eight. Despite allowing only five earned runs and 13 hits in his first three starts (21 innings), Cueto accumulated two losses and a no-decision due to poor run support from his offense.

On April 16, Cueto pitched a complete game, three-hit shutout against the Pittsburgh Pirates, striking out a career-high 12 batters without issuing a walk. This marked his seventh career complete game and third career shutout, and his first complete game in nearly two years. He followed this with another complete game against the Pirates on April 22, maintaining a shutout until he allowed a ninth-inning home run to Andrew McCutchen. He finished that game allowing only one run on two additional singles, striking out four and walking three. This was the first time in his career Cueto had thrown complete games in back-to-back starts. On May 15, he threw another shutout against the San Diego Padres (his third complete game of the season), striking out eight batters and allowing three singles and two walks, lowering his ERA to 1.25. In his first 15 starts, despite a 6-5 win-loss record, Cueto had a 1.92 ERA over 108 innings, with 111 strikeouts against 26 walks, a 0.83 WHIP, and limited opponents to a .169 batting average.

In July, Cueto was selected to his first All-Star Game. At that time, he was second in the National League in ERA (2.13) and strikeouts (141), and first in innings pitched (143 and two-thirds) and opponent batting average (.181). He was named National League Player of the Week for August 4-10, recording a 2-0 record with a 2.12 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 17 innings. After his first 25 starts, Cueto held a 14-6 record with a 2.05 ERA, having already surpassed his career highs in strikeouts, complete games, and shutouts.

On September 28, 2014, Cueto earned his 20th win of the season, becoming the first Cincinnati Reds pitcher to achieve 20 or more victories in a season since Danny Jackson in 1988. In the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Cueto pitched eight innings of one-run ball. With the game tied 1-1 and a runner on third in the 8th inning, Cueto was allowed to bat instead of a pinch-hitter, hitting a go-ahead single. Aroldis Chapman closed out the game in the 9th to secure the 4-1 victory.

Cueto concluded the 2014 season with an impressive 20-9 record and a 2.25 ERA in 34 starts (29 quality starts). He pitched 243 and two-thirds innings, allowing only 169 hits and 22 home runs, while recording 242 strikeouts (tied for the most in the NL with Stephen Strasburg) against just 65 walks. He posted an opponent batting average of .194, an opponent on-base percentage of .261, an opponent slugging percentage of .313, an opponent on-base plus slugging of .584, and a 0.96 WHIP. He also threw four complete games (including two shutouts), never pitched less than five innings in any outing, pitched six or more innings in 29 of his 34 starts, seven or more innings in 23 starts, and eight or more innings in 15 starts. Cueto allowed two earned runs or fewer in 27 starts, gave up seven hits or fewer in all but one of his starts, struck out 8.94 batters per nine innings (ninth best K/9 in NL), and allowed fewer hits per nine innings (6.24 H/9) than any other starting pitcher in MLB. On November 12, 2014, Cueto finished second in the National League Cy Young Award voting, behind Clayton Kershaw. He also received the Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award for his defensive excellence.

4.2.8. 2015: Final season in Cincinnati

On April 6, 2015, Cueto recorded the 1,000th strikeout of his career in a 5-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. In his fourth consecutive Opening Day start, he allowed just five baserunners (four hits and one walk) across seven scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts, a personal Opening Day high.

Cueto pitched at least seven innings in eight of his first nine starts, continuing his trend of pitching deep into games established during the 2011 season. He dealt with elbow inflammation in May but only missed a couple of starts, maintaining his status as one of baseball's top pitchers. By the end of June, Cueto had a 2.98 ERA, a .204 opponent batting average, and a 0.94 WHIP. He was a candidate for the Final Vote on the NL All-Star ballot but lost to Carlos Martinez. On July 7, Cueto had his best outing of the year against the Nationals, throwing a complete game two-hit shutout, striking out 11 batters and walking only one. Despite Cueto's success, the Reds continued to struggle in the NL Central. The team ultimately decided to trade Cueto to the Royals just days before the Trade Deadline. In 19 starts with the Reds, Cueto went 7-6 with a 2.62 ERA, striking out 120 batters across 130 and two-thirds innings (a K/9 ratio of 8.27), limiting opponents to a .196 batting average, and posting a 0.93 WHIP.

4.3. Kansas City Royals (2015)

On July 26, 2015, Johnny Cueto was traded to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for Brandon Finnegan and minor leaguers John Lamb and Cody Reed. In his home debut with the Royals, Cueto delivered a dominant performance, throwing a four-hit complete game shutout against the Detroit Tigers, striking out eight batters without issuing a walk, earning his first win in a Royals uniform.

However, after this promising start, Cueto struggled through the remainder of the regular season, posting a 4-7 record and a 4.76 ERA in 13 starts after joining the Royals. His struggles continued into the postseason with a mediocre performance in Game 2 of the American League Division Series against the Houston Astros. Despite this, Cueto returned to dominant form in Game 5, pitching eight innings, striking out eight, and retiring his final 19 batters. The only hits he allowed were back-to-back pitches: an infield single by Evan Gattis and a home run by Luis Valbuena. The Royals won 7-2, eliminating the Astros and securing a spot in the ALCS for the second consecutive season. In the ALCS against the Toronto Blue Jays, Cueto took the loss in Game 3 after giving up eight earned runs in just two innings, allowing the Royals' series lead to shrink.

Cueto started in Game 2 of the 2015 World Series, delivering his best postseason performance to date. He was dominant from start to finish, pitching a complete game, allowing only two hits and one run (while striking out four), to give the Royals a 7-1 victory over the New York Mets and a 2-0 series lead. Only Lucas Duda recorded hits for the Mets, preventing a no-hitter. Cueto became the first American League pitcher to throw a complete game in the World Series since Minnesota's Jack Morris in the 1991 World Series. The Royals ultimately won the World Series in five games, earning Cueto his first championship ring.

In 32 combined starts between the Reds and Royals in 2015, Cueto went 11-13 with a 3.44 ERA, striking out 176 batters across 212 innings. He allowed 194 hits and 46 walks, and pitched two complete game shutouts. He set career highs in BB/9 (1.95) and K/BB (3.83) ratios, alongside a K/9 ratio of 7.47, despite posting an ERA above 3.00 for the first time since 2010. Following the World Series, Cueto became a free agent for the first time in his career.

4.4. San Francisco Giants (2016-2021)

4.4.1. 2016: All-Star starting pitcher and Giants co-ace

On December 16, 2015, Cueto signed a six-year, 130.00 M USD contract with the San Francisco Giants, an annual amount of 21.70 M USD. The contract included a club option for 2022 worth 22.00 M USD with a 5.00 M USD buyout, and a 500.00 K USD bonus if he was traded. Cueto also had the option to opt out of the contract after two years with a guaranteed 5.00 M USD buyout.

Cueto made his Giants debut on April 5 against the Milwaukee Brewers, earning the win after pitching seven innings, limiting the Brewers to one earned run on six hits while striking out four. In his home debut at AT&T Park on April 10, despite allowing five earned runs in the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Cueto recovered to allow just one more earned run over seven innings, striking out eight and walking two. On April 26 at AT&T Park, he recorded his 100th career win and his seventh career shutout (13th complete game) in a 1-0 victory over the San Diego Padres. He became the twelfth Dominican-born pitcher in Major League history to achieve 100 wins. In that game, he struck out 11 batters, gave up seven hits, and walked one. Cueto threw his second complete game of the season against the Padres at Petco Park on May 18, allowing one run on four hits, striking out eight, and walking two. On May 23, he pitched another 1-0 complete game shutout, his 15th complete game and eighth shutout, at home against the Padres, allowing just two hits and striking out six without issuing a walk. Cueto was named National League Player of the Week for May 23-29, going 2-0 with a 0.60 ERA (one earned run in 15 innings pitched), allowing eight hits, two walks, and striking out 11. He earned his tenth win of the season on June 15 against the Brewers, allowing one run in seven innings while striking out nine, lowering his ERA to 2.10 (a 1.04 ERA in his last eight starts combined). Cueto became only the fourth Giants pitcher since 1958 to win 10 of his first 11 decisions in a season, and the first since Tim Lincecum in 2008.

On July 6, Cueto was selected to his second All-Star Game. At that time, he had 12 wins against just one loss, having won nine straight decisions, compiling a 2.57 ERA across 122 and one-third innings, and notching 107 strikeouts against 23 walks and 102 hits, while giving up only six home runs. In his final start before the All-Star break, Cueto threw another complete game, his fourth of the season, at home against the Colorado Rockies. He allowed just one run on five hits, walking only one batter and striking out eight, retiring 17 of the final 18 batters he faced, securing his Major-League leading 13th win on the season. Manager Terry Collins chose Cueto to start the 2016 Major League Baseball All-Star Game for the National League, making him the first Giants pitcher to start the All-Star game since Matt Cain in 2012. He started alongside his battery mate, Buster Posey, who was the starting catcher for the National League, and Cueto received the loss as the NL fell 4-2.

Cueto posted a 0-2 record with a 4.84 ERA in his first six starts following the All-Star break, during which opposing hitters batted .284 against him and hit six home runs, matching his total before the break. He won his first game since the All-Star break on August 19 against the Mets, pitching seven innings of one-run ball to improve his record to 14-3. Across his final seven starts of the season, Cueto went 4-2 with a 2.35 ERA in 46 innings, averaging a strikeout per inning and holding opposing batters to a .228 batting average. In September, he pitched to a 4-0 record and a 1.78 ERA in 35 and one-third innings, his lowest ERA in any month since April 2014. Cueto threw another complete game, his fifth of the year (a new career high), against the St. Louis Cardinals on September 15, giving up two runs on five hits, walking one, and striking out seven, during which he surpassed 200 innings pitched for the fourth time in his career (and in the last five seasons). On September 20, during a start against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Cueto exited the game after five and one-third scoreless innings due to a groin strain (though he received the victory, allowing just eight hits and striking out six), causing him to miss his next start. Cueto finished the year strongly on September 29 against the Colorado Rockies in his final regular season start, pitching seven strong innings where he gave up just two earned runs on nine hits and struck out 11 batters, as the Giants won 7-2.

Led by the formidable pitching trio of Cueto, Madison Bumgarner, and Jeff Samardzija (who combined for a 45-25 record with a 3.09 ERA over 649 and two-thirds innings with 616 strikeouts across 98 starts), the Giants clinched a Wild Card berth. They defeated the New York Mets and advanced to the National League Division Series against the Chicago Cubs. In Game 1 of the NLDS, in a pitching duel with Cubs pitcher Jon Lester, Cueto gave up a home run in the eighth inning to Javier Baez after throwing seven and one-third scoreless innings, as San Francisco lost 1-0 to the Cubs. Cueto received the loss, having pitched a complete game, striking out 10 batters over eight innings while allowing only one run on three hits without walking a batter. The Cubs went on to win the series 3-1, eliminating the Giants from the postseason.

Cueto finished his first regular season with the Giants with an 18-5 record and a 2.79 ERA in 219 and two-thirds innings across 32 starts, tallying 198 strikeouts against 45 walks while giving up 195 hits and 15 home runs. He ranked among the league and baseball leaders in all major categories: third in the NL in wins (18), fifth in ERA (2.79), second in winning percentage (.783%), third in innings pitched (219 and two-thirds), eighth in games started (32), first in complete games (5), second in shutouts (2), fifth in hits allowed (195), eleventh in hit batters (11), fourteenth in batting average against (.238), fourteenth in H/9 allowed (7.99), second in HR/9 allowed (0.61), eighth in WHIP (1.09), eighth in opponent OBP (.284), seventh in opponent SLG (.350), seventh in opponent OPS (.637), sixth in strikeouts (198), twelfth in K/9 ratio (8.11), third in BB/9 allowed (1.84), fifth in K/BB ratio (4.40), third in FIP (2.96), sixth in Adjusted ERA+ (147), first in win probability added (5.0), third in batters faced (881), fourth in quality starts (22), fourth in number of pitches thrown (3299) and second in number of batters picked off (5). Cueto was one of only six pitchers in the National League to pitch at least 200 innings in 2016, and pitched more innings per game than any other qualified pitcher in the National League, averaging approximately 6.865 innings pitched per start. His statistics for complete games, HR/9, BB/9, FIP, and K/BB were all career highs. Cueto finished in sixth place in the voting for the National League Cy Young Award, behind Kershaw, Bumgarner, Kyle Hendricks, Jon Lester, and Max Scherzer. He received three third-place votes, three fourth-place votes and four fifth-place votes.

4.4.2. 2017: Injuries and inconsistency

Cueto began his second season in San Francisco as the Giants' second starter, right behind co-ace Bumgarner. On April 4, Cueto made his season debut against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Despite giving up four earned runs on two walks and six hits (including two home runs) across five innings, he secured the win in an 8-4 Giants victory, contributing a single and an RBI at the plate. After pitching seven innings of two-run ball against the Rockies on April 14, Cueto became the first Giants pitcher to win his first three starts of the season in consecutive years since Rick Reuschel did so in 1988 and 1989.

Cueto revealed he had been suffering from a blister on the middle pitching hand of his pitching hand since spring training. Despite this, he struck out 10 batters and allowed just two earned runs in seven innings in his second start at Great American Ballpark since leaving the Reds. This was his fourteenth (or fifteenth, including postseason) double-digit strikeout game, setting a record for the most such games by a pitcher at that stadium (eight). Cueto returned to form on May 28 against the Atlanta Braves, allowing one earned run in six strong innings while striking out eight, also contributing a sacrifice fly and a sacrifice bunt at the plate. Cueto then went winless in his next five starts before securing his sixth victory of the season after allowing two runs in five innings against the Pirates on June 30. He was placed on the disabled list on July 15 following his first start after the All-Star Break due to blisters on his right hand, later suffering a slight forearm injury during his rehab assignment. At the time he was placed on the disabled list, Cueto was 6-7 with a 4.59 ERA in 115 and two-thirds innings (with 103 strikeouts), marking his worst ERA in a single season since his rookie year in 2008. On September 25 at Chase Field, in a 9-2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks, Cueto struck out pinch-hitting second baseman Ildemaro Vargas swinging to start the bottom of the fifth inning, achieving his 1,500th career strikeout. Cueto finished the season 8-8 with a 4.52 ERA and 1.45 WHIP in 147 and one-third innings (25 starts), striking out 136 batters as the Giants slumped to the worst record in baseball, finishing 34 games under .500 (64-98).

4.4.3. 2018: Tommy John surgery

In his season debut on March 30 against the Dodgers, Cueto carried a perfect game through six innings before giving up a single to Chris Taylor to lead off the seventh inning. Cueto finished his outing facing the minimum of 21 batters through seven scoreless innings, giving up only one hit while striking out four and walking none, receiving a no-decision in a 1-0 Giants victory. Through his first four starts, Cueto led the major leagues with a 0.35 ERA, allowing just one earned run in 26 innings. On May 7, Cueto was diagnosed with a right elbow sprain. Though initially ruled out for 6-8 weeks without requiring Tommy John surgery, his condition worsened. On July 30, Cueto was again placed on the disabled list due to an aggravated right elbow sprain. On August 1, it was announced he would undergo Tommy John surgery, effectively ending his season. He finished the season with 9 starts and an ERA of 3.23 in 53 innings.

4.4.4. 2019: Return from surgery

Following his Tommy John surgery rehabilitation, Cueto completed a stint in the minor leagues, where he went 0-2 with a 3.38 ERA in 21 and one-third innings over six starts. He made his return to the Giants on September 10, starting against the Pirates and pitching five shutout innings, allowing only a single hit and one walk. Cueto finished his 2019 season with the Giants with a 5.06 ERA through 16 innings over the course of four starts.

4.4.5. 2020: Shortened season

In the 2020 season, shortened to 60 games due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Cueto made 12 starts for the Giants. He recorded a 2-3 record with a 5.40 ERA, along with 56 strikeouts and 26 walks in 63 and one-third innings.

4.4.6. 2021

In the 2021 regular season, Cueto finished with a 7-7 record and a 4.08 ERA in 22 games (21 starts), covering 114 and two-thirds innings.

5. Pitching Style

Johnny Cueto is renowned for his unique and distinctive pitching style, characterized by his varied pitch repertoire and an unorthodox wind-up that often begins with him spinning back towards second base, with his back facing the batter. This delivery has drawn comparisons to those of Luis Tiant and Hideo Nomo. Throughout his career, Cueto has effectively utilized four different windups: the traditional windup, the "Tiant," the quick pitch, and the "rocking chair."

His primary pitches include a four-seam fastball, typically thrown between 91 mph and 97 mph, and a two-seam fastball, ranging from 89 mph to 94 mph. He also employs a slider (81 mph-88 mph), which he frequently uses with two strikes. To supplement these, he features a cutter (87 mph-92 mph), a changeup (82 mph-86 mph), and a curveball (78 mph-83 mph). Cueto typically throws his changeup exclusively to left-handed hitters and uses his curveball sparingly.

Cueto's unconventional delivery, where he turns towards second base and then shimmies before throwing the ball, has occasionally led to discussions about its legality. During and after Cueto's shutout of the Detroit Tigers in August 2015, Tigers manager Brad Ausmus questioned the delivery, arguing to umpire Joe West and later to reporters that Cueto sometimes stops in his wind-up, which would constitute an illegal pitch.

6. International Career

Johnny Cueto has represented the Dominican Republic national baseball team in the prestigious World Baseball Classic tournaments.

He was a member of the Dominican Republic team in the 2009 World Baseball Classic. In his only start in the tournament, an elimination game against Panama, Cueto earned the win after throwing 4 and two-thirds scoreless innings, striking out five batters while allowing one walk and three hits. He was the only member of his team to earn a win in the tournament before their eventual elimination in the next game.

Cueto was scheduled to participate in the 2013 World Baseball Classic but was unable to due to an injury. He was also slated to represent the Dominican Republic again in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. However, he was unable to attend the opening rounds due to his father falling ill, leading him to miss the tournament for the second time.

7. Awards and Achievements

Throughout his distinguished career, Johnny Cueto has earned numerous awards and achieved significant milestones:

• Two-time MLB All-Star selection (2014, 2016)
• Finishing as runner-up for the Cy Young Award (2014)
• Recipient of the Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award (2014)
• Member of the 2015 Kansas City Royals World Series championship team
• Named the starting pitcher for the 2016 Major League Baseball All-Star Game for the National League

8. Personal Life

Johnny Cueto has three children: two sons named Johnny Jr. and Joande, and a daughter named Yeiliani.

9. Controversies

During his career, Johnny Cueto was involved in a notable controversy stemming from a bench-clearing brawl on August 10, 2010, during a game between the Cincinnati Reds and the St. Louis Cardinals. In the first inning of that game, Cueto was suspended for seven games by Major League Baseball for his "violent and aggressive actions." While pinned against the backstop, Cueto began kicking wildly at various Cardinals players. These actions resulted in injuries to Cardinals pitcher Chris Carpenter and catcher Jason LaRue. LaRue suffered a severe concussion from the incident, which ultimately forced him to retire from professional baseball after the season.