Cueto waves farewell in dominating fashion

It's all but written in stone that Johnny Cueto will be shipped out of Cincinnati to a playoff contender by next weeks trade deadline. It didn't seem to affect the electric right-hander in any way on Saturday night in what was likely his final start as a Cincinnati Red.


Cueto dominated the Colorado Rockies over eight shutout innings of four-hit baseball, proving once again he's one of the greatest pitchers to ever wear the wishbone C. It was all the more impressive considering what occurred prior to the first pitch. FOX Sports reporter and debonair Ken Rosenthal reported this tiny nugget just after the final out was recorded ...

#Royals were close to acquiring Cueto from #Reds earlier tonight, sources tell me and @jonmorosi. Deal fell through.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 26, 2015

And then this ...

Sources indicate that the problem was that one of the players going from the #Royals to the #Reds for Cueto did not check out medically.

— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 26, 2015

Cueto was apparently aware of this news just before taking the mound in Denver. He clearly was inspired, and maybe a whole lot of pissed. Either way, Johnny went out and did what he does - DEAL. It's only appropriate for him to give RedsNation a final piece of art for us to gaze at in wonder.

Cheers, Johnny. You will be missed. On your way out, teach this goofy dude your two-seamer.

#familia pic.twitter.com/ykO0ZInIPe

— Michael Lorenzen (@Lorenzen55) July 26, 2015