Johnny Cueto Has A New Home For 2023

With three teams in serious pursuit, he had his choice of locales. And 15-year veteran starter Johnny Cueto has decided to make the pitching-rich even richer, signing with the Miami Marlins. 

Source confirms: Free-agent right-hander Johnny Cueto in agreement with Marlins, one year with a club option for 2024. Including buyout, deal is for $8.5M guaranteed. First: @JonHeyman

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 10, 2023

Cueto will earn $6M for 2023, with a club option for another $10.5M in 2024, and a buyout of $2.5M. That gives him a guarantee of $8.5M on the deal.

The soon-to-be 37-year-old Cueto is a two-time All-Star, with a lifetime 3.44 ERA. He adds a venerable, veteran presence to the already-stacked Marlins rotation, loaded with exciting young arms. 

Marlins fully loaded :

1. Sandy Alcantara
2. Pablo López
3. Jesus Luzardo
4. Trevor Rogers
5. Johnny Cueto
6. Edward Cabrera
7. Braxton Garrett

En route :

Eury Perez, Jake Eder, Dax Fulton, Max Meyer

— Craig Mish (@CraigMish) January 10, 2023

The addition of Cueto makes it even more likely that the Fish will be dangling one or more of those young arms as trade bait, in order to beef up their meager offense.

We had a report on the weekend that the Marlins are indeed making four of those young starters available on the trade market.  

Cueto started his career with eight tremendous years with the Cincinnati Reds, followed by a six-year run in San Francisco that was plagued from 2018-2020 by Tommy John surgery. 

He returned stronger in 2021, and was even more effective in 24 starts for the Chicago White Sox in 2022, posting a 3.35 ERA. 

The Marlins beat out the San Diego Padres and the Reds for his services.

Photo: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports