Johnny Cueto

At 38 years old, Johnny Cueto has this physical status:

Johnny Cueto Ortiz (Spanish) is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher for the Chicago White Sox of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has appeared for the Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals, and the San Francisco Giants in MLB.

Cueto made his MLB debut in 2008. He was voted the ace of the Reds pitching staff and one of the top pitchers in the National League by 2011 by the Reds pitching staff and one of the best pitchers in the National League. In 2012, he played 19 games and posted a 2.78 ERA, placing fourth in the National League Cy Young Award voting and leading the Reds to the National Central Championship title. He had a 2.25 ERA and tied for the NL lead in strikeouts with 242, finishing as the runner-up for the Cy Young in 2014. He played 18 games with the San Francisco Giants in 2016, assisting them in the postseason, where they lost in the NLDS, and he finished second in the Cy Young poll in 2016. He was a MLB All-Star in 2014 and 2016, and was selected as the starting pitcher for the 2016 MLB All-Star Game. Cueto's second-lowest ERA of all pitchers with at least 750 innings pitched (behind Clayton Kershaw), a 2.94 ERA with a 90-51 (1.38) record in 1,256+1°3 innings. In 2018, Tommy John surgery was performed.

Personal life

Cueto has three children, sons Johnny Jr. and Joande, and daughter Yelliani.

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Minor league career

Cueto was signed by the Reds as an undrafted amateur free agent receiving a $35,000 signing bonus in 2004. He was in the minor leagues for three seasons and excelled at various levels, but it was during the 2007 season that he really turned heads.

Cueto played for the Gulf Coast Reds of the Rookie Gulf Coast League, a 5.02 earned run average (ERA), before being promoted to the Florida State League's High-A Sarasota Reds, where he finished his 2005 season. He has had consistently better seasons since.

Cueto was drafted by the Low A Dayton Dragons in 2006 and had a 2.61 ERA and a 0.88 walks per inning pitched ratio (WHIP). On May 13, 2006, Dayton threw a rain-shortened no-hitter against Wisconsin, ending his game against Wisconsin. He was then sent back to Sarasota, where he spent his second year in a row.

Cueto was stationed in Sarasota once more in 2007. He played 14 games for the team before going on a high streak and progressing to three levels in one season. Throughout his 2007 campaign, he played for the AA Chattanooga Lookouts and AAA Louisville Bats. For the second straight season, he was named the Reds' Minor League Pitcher of the Year.

Major league career

Cueto made his MLB debut against the Arizona Diamondbacks on April 3, 2008, where he led a perfect game to Justin Upton in the top of the sixth inning before giving up a home run to Justin Upton. The home run was the only baserunner he allowed, winning out 10 in 7 innings. Cueto was credited with victory in his debut in his debut as the Reds hung on to win 3–2. In his MLB debut, Cueto was the first Red since 1900 to throw ten strikeouts. In his debut, he was the first MLB pitcher to have ten strikeouts and 0 walks. He was the third in MLB history to have ten strikeouts and give up only one hit. Cueto's ERA was 1.29 on 92 pitches for the game. Despite his impressive debut, Cueto was unstoppable for the most part on the season. Cueto's first two starts of the season were 1–0 with 18 strikeouts in 13+13 innings, while his next eight were 1–5 with a 6.65 ERA in 43+13 innings. Cueto threw out several batters in his first two starts, but he was unable to pitch himself deep into games as a result of high pitch counts and giving up so many home runs. He set a 9-14 record in 31 starts at the end of the 2008 campaign (14 quality starts) and his highest ERA of 4.81. Cueto compiled 158 batters (the majority of all NL rookies), resulting in a K/9 ratio of 8.17, the eighth best in the National League, despite only 174 innings.

Cueto was the Reds #4 starter in 2009 and was able to play for the Reds for the first time in 2009. Despite striking out nine runs, Cueto gave up four earned runs in six innings in his season debut in a 10–2 loss to the Pirates. Cueto's debut was sub-1.0 ERA, with only two earned runs in 18 innings. Cueto pitched a career-high eight shutout innings on May 3, allowing four hits and a walk as he came out in a 5–0 victory over the Pirates. Cueto had a nine-inning stretch from April 22 to May 29, with three earned runs or fewer in all but one of those starts. Cueto's ERA remained one of the best in the National League through the first three months of the season. He led the lowest NL ERA in 87 innings on June 14, posting a record of 2.17 runs. As the 2009 season began, his BB/9 was downgraded. Cueto was 8–4 with a 2.69 ERA two weeks before the All-Star game, a major improvement over the previous season. Cueto's rookie career suffered the most humiliating loss in his young career on July 6, 2009. On the mound against the Phillies, he allowed nine earned runs on five hits, walking three. All of this happened in the first innings, and Cueto was suspended from the game after only scoring two outs. The Phillies were able to score ten runs in that inning. Cueto failed after losing his 5.91 ERA over his final 13 starts while only directing a 3–6 record, but the final six (3.3 percent with a 3.63 ERA) were more promising. Cueto finished the season 11-11-11 and had an ERA of 4.41 in 30 starts. Cueto swath of 132 batters and walked 61 batters in 171+13 innings, resulting in a lower K/BB ratio (3.20 versus 3.52) in his rookie season (2.32 versus 2.16) due to a decrease in strikeouts per nine innings (6.93 versus 8.17).

Cueto was the Reds' third starter in the 2010 season. Cueto's one-hit shutout against the Pittsburgh Pirates was recorded on May 11, 11 years ago. The Reds beat the Reds 9–0 after he struck out eight, walked none, and struck one batter. Cueto went 6–1 for a 3.01 ERA in his 11 starts following his shutout before the All-Star break, marking a new career high.

Cueto was suspended seven games for what Major League Baseball called "violent and aggressive conduct" in a bench-clearing brawl in the Reds' first inning against the St. Louis Cardinals on August 12. Cueto began to kick briskly at various Cardinals, injuring Chris Carpenter and Jason LaRue, while pinned to the backstop. LaRue sustained a serious concussion in the brawl and was forced to leave early in the season.

Cueto made it to the 2010 season with a 12-7 record and a 3.64 ERA in 31 starts, pitching 185+2/3 innings, striking out 138 batters but giving up only 56 walks, 19 home runs, and 181 hits. He allowed 2 runs (1 earned) in 5 innings and lost the game as Cole Hamels pitched a shutout. Following the 2010 season, the Reds and Cueto have agreed to a four-year, $27 million contract.

Cueto's right triceps irrition sparked until the end of spring training, so he began the season on the injured list. He returned against the Chicago Cubs on May 8 pitching six scoreless innings. Cueto didn't qualify for the ERA race until he met the San Francisco Giants on July 31, where he pitched a three-hit, complete game shutout. With a 1.72 ERA, he took the Major League Baseball lead. He lost eligibility twice due to a lack of innings since, but regained the National League lead in ERA by tossing seven innings of shutout ball against the Colorado Rockies on August 11. Cueto began to take more of a turn to his wind up as the season progressed. His windup began on a normal route, with his body pointing to third base before delivering to the plate. However, Cueto's torso was facing second base by late July, and he was pausing for a brief moment. Many people have compared this time to Boston Red Sox legend Luis Tiant's legendary appearance. He was ranked second in all Major League Baseball at 2.03 years old as of August 25, tied with Jered Weaver for the highest ERA in all Major League Baseball. Cueto threw seven innings of two-run ball against the Washington Nationals on August 28, leaving the decision with a no-decision.

Cueto's ERA championship and season came to an end on September 15 after he strained a muscle in his back, while pitching versus the Cubs. The team decided not to continue Cueto for the year because of further injury on September 20. Cueto had a 9-5 record and a 2.31 ERA in 156 innings over 24 starts, six innings shy of qualifying for the ERA championship. Cueto gave up 123 runs, 47 walks, and eight home runs out of 104 batters. He also played three complete games, one of which was a shutout.

Cueto got off to 19 games against just 9 losses in 33 games, giving up 205 runs and 15 home runs over 217 innings and striking out 170 batters, while walking just 49. Cueto's career bests in HR/9, BB/9, and K/BB ratios were 0.62, 2.03, and 3.47 percent, respectively, when his 8.05 K/9 ratio was his best since his rookie year in 2008. It was the first time he had pitched 200 plus innings in a single season in his career. Cueto also played two complete games. Cueto allowed just one run on seven hits against the Pirates on May 4 in his first game, striking out four and giving up no walks. On June 12, Cueto threw another complete game against the Cleveland Indians, giving up just one run on six hits, with seven strikeouts and no walks. Cueto threw 81-13 innings without allowing a home run on an eleven-start stretch between May 30 and July 28, a streak in which he set an 8–3 record with a 2.27 ERA. On August 2, Eddy Rodriguez struck a home run off Cueto against Cueto in a game against the Brewers, bringing his streak to an end. Cueto ranked third in wins and ERA, fourth in complete games, fifth in hits allowed, and ninth in overall games, while still ranked third in all three categories, with ninth in overall wins and ninth in winning percentages in the National League. For the second time in three years and the second best record in baseball (97–65) behind the Washington Nationals, the Reds captured the NL Central Division championship and tied for the second time in three years.

Cueto was up for game 1 of the National League Division Series against San Francisco but he was forced to miss only eight pitches due to a strained muscle in his back. The Reds brought Cueto to the playoff roster after the Giants won Game 3, triggering their fourth game of the NLDS, with Mike Leake, the Giants' fifth starter on the season. In the National League Cy Young Award's voting, Cueto came in fourth, behind champion R. A. Dickey, Clayton Kershaw, and Gio González.

Cueto suffered from a variety of injuries in 2013, including a lat strain, a shoulder strain, and tightness in his lat, limiting him to just 11 starts on the season. Cueto had a record of 5–2 with a 2.82 ERA and 51 strikeouts in a record of 60+221 innings, holding opponents to a.209 batting average in those 11 starts. In ten of his 11 starts, he earned no more than three runs, and no more than one earned runs in eight of them.

Cueto was selected to begin the 2013 National Wild Card Game against the Pittsburgh Pirates despite his limited season. A raucous, raucous Pittsburgh crowd welcomed Cueto to the first game in 20 years. Cueto's name was chanted throughout the game, attempting to terrify him. Marlon Byrd, Cueto, who had his name mocked by over 40,000 people, missed the ball off the field, much to the delight of the Pittsburgh crowd. Cueto threw another home run to Pirates catcher Russell Martin on the next pitch, giving Pittsburgh a 2–0 lead. Cueto allowed two more runs but was fired after 3+1 innings after having already given up 4 earned runs on 8 hits. The Reds would face no resistance the rest of the way, and the Pirates won the game 6–2, advancing to an NLDS match against another division foe, the St. Louis Cardinals. Cueto lost the game, which brought both Cueto and the Reds' seasons to an end.

Cueto started the season in excellent form but put on one of the best performances by a starter in years after a disappointing finish to an injury-riddled 2013 season. He pitched at least seven innings in his first nine starts of the season, giving up no more than two earned runs and five hits per outing. Cueto allowed just one run on three hits in seven innings, striking out eight batters for his third straight opening day appearance. Despite allowing only five earned runs and 13 hits in his first three starts (21 innings), Cueto had two losses and a no decision due to poor run support from his offense. Cueto threw a complete game, three-hit shutout against the Pittsburgh Pirates on April 16, knocking out a career-high 12 batters without ever hassuing a single walk. Cueto's third complete game and third game shutout in his career, as well as his first complete game in nearly two years. Cueto threw another complete game against his Pirates in his next game, starting with a bang until he gave up a home run to Andrew McCutchen in the ninth with one out. He decided to limit the one run and two more hits, both of them singles, striking out four out three and walking three batters while tossing 117 pitches and outdueling former Reds teammate Edinson Volquez. It was the first time Cueto had played complete games in back-to-back starts in his career. Cueto closed out his game against the Padres on May 15, allowing three singles and two walks for his third complete game of the season). Cueto had a 1.92 ERA in his first fifteen starts of the season, despite compiling just six wins to just 26 walks, good for a WHIP of 0.83 percent, but held opponents to a.169 batting average.

Cueto was selected to his first All-Star Game in July. Cueto was ranked second in the NL in ERA (2.13) and strikeouts (141), and first in innings pitched (143+218), and opponents batting average (1.81). Cueto was named National League Player of the Week for August 4-10 after a 2–0 record with a 2.12 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 17.0 innings pitched. Cueto had a 2.05 ERA, his first twenty-five starts, and had previously set career records in strikeouts, complete games, and shutouts.

Cueto won his 20th game of the 2014 season on September 28, 2014, becoming the first Cincinnati Reds player to win 20 or more games in a season since Danny Jackson achieved the feat in 1988. The game's final score, against the Pittsburgh Pirates, was 4–1. Cueto pitched eight innings of one-run ball and was allowed to bat in the 8th inning rather than a pinch hitter, with the game tied 1–1 and a runner on third base. Cueto's was a go-ahead single, and Aroldis Chapman made the save for the game in the 9th.

Cueto's season ended with a 20-9 record and a 2.25 ERA in 34 starts (29 quality starts), while Stephen Strasburg's only batting average of.1961, an opponent on-base plus slugging percentage of.594, and a 0.96 WHIP. He played 4 complete games (2 shutouts), never pitched less than 5 innings in any outing, pitched 6 or more innings in 29 of his 34 starts, 7 or more innings in 23 starts, and 8 or more innings in 15 starts. Cueto was up two earned runs or less in 27 starts, produced 7 hits or fewer in all but one of his starts, gave up 7.94 batters per nine innings, and gave up fewer hits per nine innings than any other starting pitcher in the National League (6.24 H/9). Clayton Kershaw finished second in the National League Cy Young Award voting on November 12, 2014. He also received the Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award for his defensive excellence.

In a 5–2 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on April 6, Cueto scored his 1,000th strike out of his career. Cueto's fourth straight Opening Day appearance saw only five base runners (four hits and one walk) over seven scoreless innings with ten strikeouts, a personal record on Opening Day. In eight of his nine first starts, he pitched at least seven innings, continuing his trend of pitching deep into games that began in 2011. Cueto suffered with arthritis in his elbow in May, but he only got off to a couple of starts and continued to establish himself as one of the best pitchers in baseball. Cueto had a 2.98 ERA, a.204 opponent batting average, and a 0.94 WHIP when restricting opponents to a.204 batting average at the end of June. Cueto had intended to vote for the Final Vote on the NL All-Star ballot but lost to Carlos Martinez. Cueto had his best outing of the year against the Nationals on July 7, tossing out 11 batters and walking only one. Despite Cueto's popularity, the Reds' NL Central central fell, and the Reds' traded Cueto to the Royals a few days before the Trade Deadline. Cueto went 7-6 for a 2.62 ERA, striking out 120 batters in 130+293 innings (good for a K/9 ratio of 8.27), limiting opponents to a.196 batting average, and a WHIP of 0.93.

Cueto was traded to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for Brandon Finnegan and minor leaguers John Lamb and Cody Reed on July 26, 2015.

Cueto threw a complete game shutout against the Detroit Tigers, knocking out eight batters without a single word. This was his first victory in a Royals uniform.

Cueto was off to a promising start, putting up a 4-7 record and a 4.76 ERA in 13 starts since joining the Royals. Cueto returned to form in game 5 of the American League Division Series against the Houston Astros, throwing out 8 out eight out eight runs and retiring his final 19 batters. Evan Gattis' infield single and Luis Valbuena's home run were the only hits he allowed on back-to-back pitches: an infield single by Evan Gattis and a home run by Luis Valbuena. The Royals went on to win 7–2 over the Astros and securing a spot in the ALCS for the second straight season. Cueto suffered in game 3 after giving up eight earned runs in two innings as the Royals' series lead shrunk from 2 games to 1.

Cueto started in game two of the World Series, giving his best postseason results to date. Cueto was dominant from start to finish, pitching a complete game and only giving up two runs and a single run (while striking out four runs) to give the Royals a 7–1 victory over the New York Mets and a 2–0 series lead. Lucas Duda was the difference maker between Cueto and a no-hitter, with two hits (with two of them). In 1991, Cueto became the first AL pitcher to throw a complete game in the World Series since Minnesota's Jack Morris. Cueto's first championship ring was won by the Royals in 5 games.

Cueto's record was 3.44 runs in 32 starts between the Reds and Royals, striking out 176 batters in 212 innings, allowing just 194 hits and 46 walks, with only 194 runs and 46 walks in 36 innings, allowing only 194 hits and 46 walks, while pitching 2 complete games shutouts. Despite struggling to post a sub-3.00 ERA for the first time since 2010, he set career highs in BB/9.55 (1.95) and K/BB (3.83) ratios alongside a K/9 ratio of 7.47. Cueto became a full agent for the first time in his career after the World Series.

Cueto's five-year, $130 million deal with the San Francisco Giants ended on December 16, 2015 (an annual sum of $21.7 million) with a club option for 2022 worth $22 million with a $5 million buyout. Cueto's deal includes a $500,000 reward if he is traded to another team, as well as the option to opt out of the deal after two years with a guaranteed $5 million compensation for the buyout.

Cueto won his Giants debut against the Milwaukee Brewers on April 5 after pitching seven innings, restricting the Brewers to an earned run on six hits and striking out four. Cueto allowed five earned runs in the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers, striking out eight while walking only two runs on his home debut at AT&T Park on April 10, making his first home appearance at AT&T Park on April 10. Cueto won his 100th game on 119 pitches at AT&T Park on April 26, his first game with the Giants and his seventh overall game. He became the twelfth Dominican-born pitcher in Major League history to win more than a hundred games. Cueto took out 11 batters, giving up seven runs in the process of a single walk. On May 18, Cueto threw his second complete game of the season against the Padres at Petco Park, throwing out eight batters and walking just two. Cueto's 15th complete game and eighth shutout of his career came at home against the Padres on May 23, giving up only two runs and striking out six people without issuing a walk. For the second time in his career, Cueto was named National League Player of the Week (ERA in 15 innings pitched), throwing up eight runs, walking two, and striking out 11. Cueto won his tenth game of the season on June 15 against the Brewers, with one run in seven innings and nine out nine, lowering his ERA to 2.10 (1.04 ERA in his last eight starts combined). Cueto was only the fourth Giants pitcher since 1958 to win 10 of his first 11 decisions on a season, the first since Tim Lincecum in 2008 (Gaylord Perry and Juan Marichal both did it in 1966).

Cueto was selected to his second All-Star game on July 6, 2012. Cueto had 12 victories against just one loss, having won nine consecutive games, compiling a 2.57 ERA over 122+1 innings, and netting 107 strikeouts against only 23 walks and 102 hits, but giving up only six home runs. Cueto threw another complete game against the Colorado Rockies in his last game before the All-Star break. He allowed just one run on five hits, walking just one batter, and striking out eight, taking out 17 of the final 18 batters he faced, his Major-League winning his 13th victory on the season. Manager Terry Collins selected Cueto to start the 2016 Major League Baseball All-Star Game for the National League, making him the first Giants pitcher to play in the All-Star game since Matt Cain in 2012. Buster Posey, the National League's starting catcher, started with his battery mate, Buster Posey, who suffered as the NL lost 4–2.

Cueto's ERA of 4.84 in his first six starts after the All-Star break, during which opposing hitters batted.284 against him and six home runs, as many as he had given up before the All-Star break. On August 19 against the Mets in his first game since the All-Star break, Cueto pitched seven innings of one run ball to raise his record to 14–3. Cueto went 4–2 in 46 innings, averaging a strike out a batter and holding opponents to a.228 batting average in his first seven starts of the season. In September, he had a 4–0 record and a 1.78 ERA in 35+13 innings, his lowest ERA in any month since tallying a 1.15 ERA with the Reds in April 2014. Cueto threw another complete game against the St. Louis Cardinals on September 15, throwing up two runs on five hits, walking one batter, and striking out seven batters for the third time in his career (and in the last five seasons). Cueto left the game after 5+13 scoreless innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers on September 20, allowing only eight hits and striking out six). Cueto ended the year on a high note against the Colorado Rockies on September 29, his last action of the season, throwing seven solid innings in which he gave up just two earned runs on nine hits and striking out 11 batters.

The Giants clinched a Wild Card berth, defeating the Chicago Cubs in 649+217 strikeouts for a K/9 rate of 8.5 percent over 98 starts), and defeated the Chicago Cubs in the National League Division Series. In Game 1 of the NLDS, Cubs pitcher Jon Lester pitched 7+1,3 scoreless innings before giving up a home run in the eighth inning to Javier Baez after losing 1–0 to the Cubs, leaving out ten batters over eight innings while leaving only one run without walking a batter). The Cubs will win the series 3 games to 1, effectively excluding the Giants from the playoffs.

Cueto's first regular season with an 18-5 record and a 2.79 ERA in 219+213 innings over 32 starts, totaling 198 strikeouts against 45 walks, while giving up 195 hits and 15 home runs in his first regular season with the Giants. In both major leagues and baseball, Cueto was ranked among the best in the league and baseball. He came third in NL wins (18), fifth in batting average (2.79), sixth in batting average (4.15), seventh in hit percentage (2.36), sixth in adjusted BB/9 allowed (1.79), eighth in seventh in batting average (2.93), ninth in batting average (2.86), eighth in fifth in total games (14.8), eighth in batters (4.42), seventh in batting average (9.84), seventh in batting average (4.13), fifth in third in (5), seventh in (5), sixth in batting batting (8), eighth in batters (2. Cueto was one of only six pitchers in the National League to pitch more innings per game during the 2016 season and pitched more innings per game than any other qualified pitcher in the National League, averaging 6.865 innings pitched per start. His figures for complete games, HR/9, BB/9, FIP, and K/BB were among his career highs. In the national League Cy Young Award's voting, Cueto came in sixth, behind Kershaw, Bumgarner, Kyle Hendricks, Jon Lester, and Max Scherzer. He received 3 third-place votes, 3 fourth-place votes, and 4 fifth-place votes.

Cueto made his second season in San Francisco as the Giants' No. 2 starter, right behind fellow co-ace Bumgarner John Bumgarner. Cueto made his season debut against the Diamondbacks at Chase Field on April 4, 2014. Despite giving up four earned runs on two walks and six hits (two home runs) over five innings, he was still winning his first game of the season. He notched five strikeouts and helped immensely with the Giants' offense, contributing a single, an RBI, and reaching base twice in the Giants' 8–4 victory. Cueto's second game at Great American Ballpark after pitching seven innings of two-run ball against the Rockies on April 14, he became the first Giants pitcher to win his first three starts of the season after Rick Reuschel suffered a blister on the middle finger of his pitching hand since spring training's start, and he tied for the first two digit strikeout games by a pitcher at the stadium since 1988 (eight). Cueto hit the Atlanta Braves on May 28 for one earned run in six solid innings striking out eight batters, while tacking on a RBI sac fly and a sac bunt at the plate. Cueto's first five starts were winless, his sixth victory of the season after allowing two runs in five innings against the Pirates on June 30. Following his first appearance after the All-Star Break with blisters on his right hand, he was put on the DL on July 15, and later suffered a minor forearm injury in his rehabilitation assignment. Cueto was 6-7 with a 4.59 ERA in 115+2/3 innings, his lowest ERA in a single season since he was a rookie in 2008. Cueto won 8-8 for a season with a 4.52 ERA and 1.45 WHIP in 147+13 innings (25 starts), knocking out 136 batters as the Giants fell to their lowest record in baseball this season, with a season-lower 34 games under.500 (64–98).

Cueto played a flawless game through six innings against the Dodgers on March 30, before giving up a single to Chris Taylor to lead off the seventh inning. Cueto was out and out for a minimum of 21 batters through seven scoreless innings, giving up the one batter but striking out four out none as he was given a no-decision in a 1–0 Giants victory. Cueto led the major leagues with a 0.35 ERA in his first four starts, giving up just one earned run in 26 innings. Cueto was diagnosed with a right elbow sprain on May 7. Despite being suspended for six to eight weeks, Tommy John surgery did not need him, much to the delight of Giants manager Bruce Bochy. Cueto did however go back to the disabled list on July 30 due to an elevated right elbow sprain. It was announced on August 1 that Tommy John surgery would be performed, effectively ending his season. He had nine starts and a ERA of 3.23 in 53 innings.

Following his Tommy John surgery, Cueto spent a brief time in the minor leagues, going 0–2 with a 3.38 ERA in 21+13 innings over six starts. On September 10, he returned to the Giants for the first time, as well as a pitching five shutout innings that allowed just one hit and one walk. Cueto's 2019 season with the Giants saw him post a 5.06 ERA in 16 innings over the course of four seasons.

Cueto played 12 games for the Giants in 2020, ending up 5–3 on a 5.40 ERA, with 56 strikeouts and 26 walks in 63+13 innings during the pandemic-shortened 60-game season.

Cueto was 7–7 in 22 games (21 starts) in the 2021 regular season, totaling 114.2 innings.

Cueto agreed to a minor league deal with the Chicago White Sox on April 4, 2022. Cueto was moved to the major leagues by the White Sox on May 16. He made his White Sox debut against his former team, the Kansas City Royals, on the same day. Cueto fought the first nine batters before giving up a single to Whit Merrifield in the 4th inning. Cueto suffered 1 more batter and only 2 walks after Cueto went 6 innings giving up 0 runs and only 2 walks while he saw out 7 batters leading the White Sox to a 5–3 victory in extras.

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