Dodgers should sign Johnny Cueto to spite Giants

Following the loss of Max Scherzer as well as the uncertainty surrounding Clayton Kershaw’s return and Dustin May’s availability in 2022, the Los Angeles Dodgers are in need of pitching depth — mostly in the rotation, but the bullpen requires attention as well.

The addition of Andrew Heaney was a start, but it’s far from enough. Don’t forget, Walker Buehler and Julio Urías were just pushed to their limits after logging career highs in innings pitched and were clearly exhausted once October arrived.

Minor-league additions on this front will help alleviate the workload, but they won’t solve the problem. With a relatively weak free agent market on the starting pitching front ready to sign deals after the lockout, the Dodgers don’t exactly have endless options to explore.

But a former division rival can really help out the cause, especially after his resurgent 2021 season. Perhaps Johnny Cueto can give the Dodgers the unexpected boost they’re seeking at a relatively cost-effective price.

The Dodgers should consider Johnny Cueto in free agency.

Any time you can stick it to the San Francisco Giants — regardless of the magnitude — you do it. The Giants’ pre-lockout additions to their rotation suggest they’re parting with Cueto, who just had his most efficient season since 2017. 

It wasn’t anything special, but if the Dodgers can fill out the back of their rotation with someone who can make 20-plus starts and throw between 125-150 innings, that’ll be an all-around victory. Cueto finished with a 4.08 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 4.05 FIP and 98 strikeouts in 22 games (21 starts), totaling 114.2 innings. This was after having thrown a grand total of 132.1 innings between 2018-2020.

Cueto’s five-pitch mix (fastball, changeup, slider, sinker and curveball) would be an asset at the back-end of the rotation while the Dodgers’ staff works on improving some of his advanced metrics that weren’t so hot in 2021 (bottom percentile in expected ERA, expected batting average, expected slugging percentage, whiff percentage, and others).

The positives? Cueto’s small bounce-back after myriad issues could indicate there are a few solid twilight years remaining in the right-hander. He’s had very little mileage on his arm since the 2017 season. The Giants had to live through their high-priced free agent making just 71 starts over the last five seasons.

If the Dodgers can swoop in and get Cueto’s best showing since 2016 on a cheap deal, it’ll be the ultimate coup and serve a form of mental warfare against San Fran throughout the 2022 season when these two rivals will likely be battling down to the wire once again.

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