Kansas City Royals: Looking back at Johnny Cueto trade two years later

The Johnny Cueto magic in Kansas City was real.

Fans had never experienced something like this before, with an unquestioned ace rolling into town as part of a big trade. Cueto was coming to Kansas City for one reason and that was to help this team win a World Series, something they fell just short of in 2014.

Cueto’s 2.62 ERA with the Reds before coming to Kansas City looked amazing and fans couldn’t wait to see this guy take the mound in a Royals uniform. His first start, which came on July 31st, saw him go six innings and allow three runs off of seven hits. The Royals would lose that game, which was against Toronto.

Cueto was coming to Kansas City for one reason and that was to help this team win a World Series.

The first awesome Cueto moment came in his third start with the Royals, where he threw a complete game shutout over the Detroit Tigers. His next start saw him go eight innings and only give up one run. The Cueto magic was real and Kansas City was electric!

Cueto’s ERA after those two games was down to 2.46, but those would be the last “good times” the Royals would have with the ace for quite awhile.

On August 21st, Johnny Cueto went six innings and gave up seven runs to the Boston Red Sox. His next start, a Sunday night affair in Baltimore, Cueto was shellacked for six runs in just five innings of work. One of his worst outings came against the White Sox not long after where he only made it through three innings and let the White Sox put up five runs.