Daily Dose: Cueto is Crowned
The non-waiver trade deadline is Friday, but arguably the biggest piece on the block has been dealt.
Johnny Cueto has found his name in trade rumors for the last several weeks, and he was sent to Kansas City for Brandon Finnegan, John Lamb, and Cody Reed. Cueto will immediately become KC’s ace, while the trio of young pitchers stocks Cincinnati’s farm system well.
The move was much-needed for Kansas City’s rotation despite the team’s AL-best record. The Royals rotation ERA sits at 4.30, ranking 22nd in MLB. They lost Jason Vargas for the year last week, and are deficient on paper vs. some of the AL’s other potential playoff rotations such as the Angels (3.57 ERA) and Astros (3.87 ERA). Cueto’s ERA sits below 3.00 for the fifth consecutive season, and his 4.14 K/BB ratio is the best of his career.
The adjustment to the American League is offset somewhat by moving from the Great American Ball Park to Kauffman Stadium. As usual, Cincinnati has played as an extremely hitter-friendly park this season, while Kansas City has played neutral. There’s also the move to a new league with hitters who are unfamiliar with Cueto, and he’s 14-6 with a 2.68 ERA in 28 starts over his career in interleague play. Heading into free agency, the Royals are hopeful that Cueto will give them a nice boost as a rental for the significant price that they paid.
That price KC paid includes 2014 first-round pick Finnegan, a pitcher who has been used extensively in relief for the Royals already. He’s fared well in that role, posting a 2.59 ERA in 31.1 innings during the regular season. The Reds announced that they will move Finnegan back to Triple-A to work as a starter. It’s a situation that should be watched closely for fantasy owners needing help down the stretch, as Finnegan could join Cincinnati’s rotation if his results are better than what he’s seen in the minors earlier this year. The lefty has a 5.00 ERA in 27 minor league innings this season, including 19 walks. It’s apparent that Finnegan needs to work on his secondary stuff, as he’s thrown his fastball nearly 75 percent of the time while working as a reliever in the majors. The long-term hope is that Finnegan will fit as a middle of the rotation starter.
Lamb has re-emerged this season as a legitimate prospect after trying to regain his form due to arm problems. The lefty was considered an elite prospect after posting a 2.38 ERA in 28 starts between three levels back in 2010, but his results have been inconsistent until this season. Lamb has been one of the Pacific Coast League’s better pitchers this year, with a 9-1 record and 2.67 ERA in 17 starts. He has more than one strikeout per inning and a solid 2.8 BB/9 rate, though his extreme flyball rate and now fringy stuff is a concern with the Reds. He turned 25 earlier this month, and could be in a better position to contribute down the stretch than Finnegan.
Reed is also an interesting arm, and he could contribute as early as next season. The lefty was drafted in the second round of the 2013 draft, and has had a breakout year between High-A and Double-A this season with a cumulative 2.53 ERA in 96 innings. His early success at Double-A has been especially impressive in five starts, with a 3.45 ERA and control that has remained strong.
These three arms, along with top prospect Robert Stephenson and major leaguers Anthony DeSclafani and Michael Lorenzen, should excite Reds fans imagining the team’s future.
Trout Does What Trout Does
As the season progresses, it’s becoming more clear that Mike Trout is heading for his second consecutive AL MVP. His performance in Sunday’s game didn’t hurt.
Trout went 4-for-4 with two home runs, five RBI, and three runs scored in the Angels’ 13-7 win over Texas. He’s now slashing .315/.405/.632 in what’s becoming his best offensive year after hitting nine homers this month. He’s now on pace to hit .315-51-106 with 124 runs and 17 stolen bases, and trails only Paul Goldschmidt among fantasy earners this season.
He did suffer a scare during the game after hurting his wrist while attempting a diving catch in center field, but managed to remain in the game following the incident. It looks like Trout will be fine, though it wouldn’t be a shock to see the team give him a day off early this week.
Cargo's Hot Streak Continues
Patience is often a virtue in fantasy baseball, and that’s certainly been the case with Carlos Gonzalez. The former fantasy star made it two multi-home run games in three days after launching two more homers on Sunday. He went 3-for-4 with six RBI and four runs scored in Colorado’s 17-7 win over Cincinnati at Coors Field.
While his numbers aren’t elite, Gonzalez is now hitting a very respectable .270-18-47 for the year. It’s far more impressive when we consider he was hitting only .219-4-13 through May. He’s hit more like we’re accustomed to since that time, and most importantly, Gonzalez has stayed healthy.
Gonzalez is still struggling away from Coors Field, hitting only .239-6-15 for the year. Fantasy owners who bought low earlier in the season still have little to complain about, especially considering that Gonzalez averaged 90 games played over the last two seasons.
American League Quick Hits: Buster Olney reports the Tigers are becoming convinced that Miguel Cabrera could return around August 15 … Brock Holt was removed from Sunday night’s game with tightness in his left knee … David Murphy is drawing trade interest from the Angels, according to FOX Sports’ Jon Morosi … The Pittsburgh Tribune reports the Pirates are interested in Mike Napoli and Shane Victorino … Matt Joyce suffered a concussion during Sunday’s game, and is likely headed to the 7-day DL … Drew Smyly (shoulder) allowed four runs in 2.1 innings during his first rehab start … Coco Crisp (neck) will begin a rehab assignment at High-A Stockton on Monday … Byron Buxton (thumb) could be out as long as a month longer …
National League Quick Hits: Zack Greinke’s scoreless innings streak ended at 45.2 innings on Sunday with a no-decision vs. the Mets … Jon Morosi of FOX Sports reports the Royals have interest in Martin Prado … Nori Aoki (leg) will return to the Giants lineup Monday if he’s cleared during a medical evaluation … Randal Grichuk was removed from Sunday’s game due to a sore groin … Wil Myers had yet another setback with his left wrist on Saturday after feeling discomfort while swinging a bat … Aaron Harang (foot) will begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Wednesday … Jaime Garcia (groin) will rejoin the Cardinals rotation on Tuesday …
