There have been a number of big-name signings in baseball’s offseason this winter, yet free-agent starting pitcher Johnny Cueto is still looking for a deal—or at least a better one than the $120 million offer he reportedly turned down from Arizona.
But now that most of the other starters have signed their big deals—and Cueto is still waiting for his—did he make a big mistake?
If he doesn’t get a better offer, then obviously it will be hard to look at it any other way.
The market for nine-figure deals for pitchers appears to have dried up.
Granted, this would be more alarming if it were February and spring training was about to start, instead of it being December during MLB’s winter meetings. But there is plenty of cause for concern that he may be the one left without a chair when the music stops.
Most of the teams with a desire for a top-notch starting pitcher have already got their man—and paid a pretty penny for him.
While Boston signed David Price for $217 million over seven years, Arizona got Zack Greinke for $206 million over six years, Detroit inked Jordan Zimmerman for $110 million over five years, and San Francisco added Jeff Samardzija for $90 million over five years, Cueto is still out there presumably looking for something better than Arizona’s offer.
