The Kansas City Royals have been the favorites to win the World Series all season long. They are in first place in the American League Central with a record of 59-38, which is also the best record in the American League. It seems like nearly half their team were on the All Star team, and they have clearly gotten a lot of attention since their World Series run last season led by all of their young, talented position players as well as their bullpen. The one thing that kept them from winning it in my opinion, was their lack of a true ace to take on the opposing ace. They had Jeremy Guthrie, who has been a solid starting pitcher in this league for quite some time now, but he is clearly not an ace caliber starter. Yordano Ventura has been a disappointment this season, and the Royals starting rotation needed a boost.
Well, they got their ace. The Royals and Reds have agreed to a deal that sent one of the most consistent pitchers in baseball in Johnny Cueto to Kansas City, and in exchange, Cincinnati has acquired three left handed pitchers: Brandon Finnegan, Cody Reed, and John Lamb.
Whoa. I figured the Royals would be on the market for a pitcher and this is definitely a huge splash in Major League Baseball right now. The 29 year old Cueto won 20 games last season, and thus far in 2015, he is 7-6 with a 2.62 earned run average, has walked just 29, and fanned 120 hitters in 130 and two thirds innings.
Now, whatever doubts people had about the Royals, because I know that many thought that the St. Louis Cardinals should be the clear-cut favorites to win the World Series, should be silenced. Cueto joins a rotation that already consists of old friend Edinson Volquez, Ventura, Guthrie, Chris Young, and Danny Duffy. I expect Cueto to take the place of the struggling veteran in Guthrie to make this rotation very formidable.
Popular belief would have thought that this team would struggle without their leader in outfielder Alex Gordon, but they’ve continued to play well and still sit atop the division as well as the entire league. The Royals are here to stay, and this team just went from the best in the American League, to a team that is expected to not only go back to the World Series, but win it as well. The rich just got richer.
Grade: A
In the case of the Cincinnati Reds, this was the first step in the rebuilding process. Finnegan has gotten his feet wet as has impressed thus far in the big leagues. The 22 year old left hander is 3-0 with an earned run average of 2.96 and has struck out 21 in 24 and a third innings with the big club. He has the potential to help this Reds’ rotation immediately. Reed, who is also 22 years of age, is still in Double A but is talented, and Lamb, 25, is 9-1 with an earned run average of 2.67 in Triple A Omaha. He will be major league ready very soon. Cueto may be a huge loss, but the Reds have been disappointing this season, and I felt like this was the right move for them moving forward. Both teams win here.
Grade: B+
