Cueto makes Cactus League debut in front of his ailing father

Following an extended absence which cost him weeks of time away from the San Francisco Giants' camp, starter Johnny Cueto made his long-awaited Cactus League debut on Saturday.

Cueto's time away from the club was due to him tending to his father, Domingo, who suffered a mini-stroke in their native Dominican Republic. After spending 10 days in hospital, the elder Cueto, who continues his road to recovery, was in attendance to watch his son take the mound.

"I think today was the first time," Cueto said of his father watching him pitch in a big-league jersey in person, according to John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle.

"I’m sure he gets nervous. Last night, he was giving me a pep talk. It’s 11 o'clock, and he’s telling me, 'You’ve got to go to sleep. You’ve got to go pitch tomorrow.'"

Cueto pitched two innings against the Cincinnati Reds in his debut, allowing one run on three hits while striking out one batter. The 31-year-old starter will look to build off his first successful season pitching for the Giants, where he posted a 2.79 ERA in 32 starts, including a league leading five complete games.