Reds GM: 'I'm not sure we'll be able to' extend Johnny Cueto
The Cincinnati Reds understand that keeping Johnny Cueto on the mound long-term in Ohio might not be within their means.
Entering the final year of his contract on the heels of a season that saw the right-hander finish second in National League Cy Young voting to Clayton Kershaw, Cueto is fully expected to receive an impressive raise from the $10 million he's set to earn in 2015.
Cueto's agent has given the team until Opening Day to negotiate a contract extension before he tables conversations, and while Reds general manager Walt Jocketty said the team will attempt to put its best offer together, he didn't sound overly optimistic in getting a deal done.
"With Johnny, we'll never say 'never.' We are going to do everything we can to try and come up with some sort of plan to keep him," Jocketty said on MLB Network's Hot Stove. "I'm not sure we'll be able to, because the numbers are obviously starting to skyrocket and it's very tough in our market to continue to retain guys at a high price like that. We'll continue to work on that and see where it comes out."
With Max Scherzer and Jon Lester fetching $210 million and $155 million respectively this offseason, the time for an elite pitcher to hit free agency has never been better.
Cueto, 29, owns a 44-20 record and 2.54 ERA over the past three seasons, while striking out 463 in 521 1/3 innings over that time. What's more impressive is the fact that the two-time All-Star has achieved such success while pitching at hitter friendly Great American Ballpark.
If he fails to reach an agreement with the Reds, Cueto joins an impressive list of potential free agents next offseason in David Price, Jordan Zimmermann, Hisashi Iwakuma and Zack Greinke.