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MLB Trade Rumors: Reds’ Johnny Cueto drawing major interest

By Connor Muldowney

May 14, 2015; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Johnny Cueto (47) throws a pitch against the San Francisco Giants in the second inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports
May 14, 2015; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Johnny Cueto (47) throws a pitch against the San Francisco Giants in the second inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports /
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Johnny Cueto’s stock has really taken off in the past few years and now it seems like interest to trade for the right-hander is going through the roof.

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The Cincinnati Reds are far from a struggling team this season. In fact, they are sitting at 18-17 and just 6.5 games out of first place, trailing the team with the best record in baseball: the St. Louis Cardinals. However, that hasn’t slowed the Johnny Cueto trade rumors as they are hotter than ever as the season rolls on.

Over the past five years, Cueto has gone from relative-unknown to elite starting pitcher and, at the age of 29, he’s one of the most sought-after commodities out there.

According to Hal McCoy of the Dayton Daily News, scouts are coming out in huge numbers to see the Reds’ ace pitch. Scouts from the San Diego Padres and Toronto Blue Jays have been on hand at a number of games while some 20 more sit and watch the pitcher work on a regular basis, according to McCoy.

Cueto is in the final season of his contract and the trade rumors are swirling out of control. Either Cincinnati has to trade the ace, or he has to walk in free agency while the team could potentially get nothing from it, with the exception of a compensation pick in the 2016 MLB draft.

It’s looking more and more likely that the Reds make a deal to send Cueto elsewhere, most likely an American League team as they wouldn’t want to face their former ace, and look to get some solid young pieces in return.

The lofty number of scouts on hands at these games shouldn’t be a surprise for Cueto or manager Bryan Price, but it’s quite the site to behold as a guy on a winning team is being chased like the best player on the worst team in baseball looking to sell by the trade deadline.

There is a possibility that the Reds keep Cueto and pay him a big contract, whatever they can afford, in the offseason, but that number is growing by the day as Cueto keeps shutting down opponents on his way to a 3-3 record with a 2.93 ERA and 56 strikeouts. This guy can flat-out pitch and you better believe there will be major contenders on the phone by July 31, begging to make a deal with the Reds.

Cueto has had a brilliant past five years to his career, never posting an ERA over 2.95, including this season, and he even recorded an unbelievable 242 total strikeouts last season. It’s almost like he’s getting better with age.

Don’t be surprised if the Reds get a great young star, or stars, in return for the righty’s services.

Next: 30 best starting pitchers in MLB history

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