Report: Multiple clubs asking about Reds' Cueto
The Cincinnati Reds continue to receive plenty of inquiries about right-hander Johnny Cueto, though the club is more inclined to trade one of their lesser starters this winter, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.
The Reds appear willing to trade Cueto, a free agent after the 2015 campaign, but team officials are reportedly steering discussions with interested teams towards Mat Latos, Mike Leake and Alfredo Simon.
Cueto, though, would command the largest return, as the 28-year-old has quietly emerged as one of the game's most dominant starters in recent years. Though he's battled some injury problems over the last few seasons, Cueto trails only Clayton Kershaw for the major-league lead in adjusted ERA since the beginning of the 2011 season (min. 100 games started).
| Player | ERA+ ▾ | GS | ERA | FIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clayton Kershaw | 172 | 126 | 2.11 | 2.41 |
| Johnny Cueto | 155 | 102 | 2.48 | 3.37 |
| Cliff Lee | 133 | 106 | 2.89 | 2.86 |
| Justin Verlander | 129 | 133 | 3.2 | 3.22 |
| Doug Fister | 129 | 114 | 3.11 | 3.37 |
The Reds may nevertheless be inclined to deal Cueto in an effort to bolster their offense, which managed just 3.67 runs per game last season - the third-worst mark in the National League.