KANSAS CITY, Mo. — When the Angels filed into their Kauffman Stadium clubhouse on Tuesday, Johnny Cueto’s No. 36 jersey was hanging in place.
Manager Ron Washington confirmed prior to the middle game of the series against the Kansas City Royals that the well-traveled Cueto will start in Wednesday’s series finale, filling the rotation void temporarily created when Jose Soriano went on the injured list because of arm fatigue.
Cueto will take the mound in the ballpark he called home in 2015 when Cueto helped the Royals win a World Series title.
“He can pitch,” Washington said. “He might not be the Johnny Cueto of five, six, seven years ago, but he has knowledge and wisdom. He reads swings and hopefully we can get something out of him.”
Cueto, 38, had been pitching at Triple-A Salt Lake, where he allowed just two runs over 12⅓ innings in his last two starts. When he throws his first pitch on Wednesday, it will mark the 17th consecutive season that Cueto has pitched in the major leagues.
A two-time All-Star, Cueto was willing to spend an extended period in the minors in hopes that he would get another opportunity to stand on a major league mound.
“That means that the game is still in his heart,” Washington said. “Anytime you are willing to sacrifice that –and you don’t need that – it shows the game is in your heart. I do believe he wants to help us.”
After blasting his 18th home run on Monday night, Angels shortstop Zach Neto is closing in on the “20-20” mark associated with home runs and stolen bases. Neto went into Tuesday’s game with 22 stolen bases, so two more homers will allow him to join the 20-20 club.
“Twenty is in his reach. Maybe 25, but 20 for sure,” Washington said. “And the (22) stolen bases. That’s quite an accomplishment for a first-time full year.”
Neto pondered the possibility of a 20-20 season when he laid out big-picture goals prior to the season.
“That was definitely one of my goals coming into spring training,” Neto said. “As the year has gone on, I haven’t really thought about it. Just trying to do everything I can to help the team win.”
As a young player with plenty of room for growth, Neto has shown the potential to evolve into a 30-30 performer.
“Yeah, I think that would be the next goal in mind,” Neto said. “But right now, it’s just focusing on what I have to do. If I get to 20-20, it happens. If I get to 30-30 next year or in the years to come, it happens. But I’m just looking for productivity at the plate, on defense and on the bases.”
While he has plenty of good things to say about his own shortstop, Washington also has a lot of compliments for Royals All-Star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., who has thrust himself into the American League MVP conversation. Witt came into Tuesday’s game hitting .349 with 25 homers, 91 RBIs and 25 stolen bases.
Furthermore, Witt has been playing excellent defense.
“I remember a year and a half ago, they didn’t think he could play shortstop,” Washington said. “Now, he’s one of the best (defensive) shortstops in the game. He has everything it takes to be a superstar. But he has to get some years in the game before we can put that tag on him. Right now, he’s one of the best players in the game.”
Angels (RHP Johnny Cueto, 0-0, 0.00 ERA) at Royals (RHP Michael Lorenzen, 6-6, 3.68 ERA), Wednesday, 5:10 p.m. PT, Bally Sports West, 830 AM
