Crafty Cueto proves he's still 'pitching artist'

CHICAGO -- Johnny Cueto is not working with a canvas and paint brushes or playing some sort of symphony on the violin. The White Sox hurler’s chosen tools of expression are a mitt and a baseball he can maneuver as well as any starter within the White Sox rotation.

After an 8-0 shutout of the Tigers on Saturday afternoon at Guaranteed Rate Field, on a day when Cueto threw eight scoreless innings, manager Tony La Russa marveled at the work from his diamond maestro.

“He’s a pitching artist,” La Russa said. “It’s a beautiful thing to watch … from our side.”

“Not only does he mess with your timing, but he’s got great stuff,” said right fielder Gavin Sheets, who hit a three-run home run in the first inning. “He’s a battle the whole game and you see the way guys take swings. There’s a reason he’s done this for so long and at such a high level.”

So long, as in 15 years and counting for the 36-year-old. He joined the White Sox as a Minor League free agent on April 8, and after building up in Arizona and following four starts with Triple-A Charlotte, an argument could be made for Cueto as the White Sox most consistent starter in the 2022 season.

Dylan Cease should be an All-Star -- he has one of the best sliders in the game and is one of the Major League strikeout leaders. Michael Kopech and Lucas Giolito have both been dominant at times with pure stuff to match, but Cueto made his 10th start for the White Sox Saturday and has pitched at least six innings in nine of them. He has also given up three earned runs or fewer in nine of those starts.

Velocity is present but not the key for Cueto, who topped out at 94.4 mph with his four-seam fastball and averaged 91.9 mph on that same pitch, per Statcast. But he mixed in five pitches, recording nine swings and misses, and became the first White Sox starter to record an out in the eighth this season.

“It’s a lot of fun, to be honest. It’s tough. It’s fun because it’s a challenge,” Detroit catcher Tucker Barnhart said. “He’s got all kinds of arms and legs coming at you. I’ve known Johnny for a long time and he’s fun to face.

“I was in Cincinnati in 2014 when he won 20 [games]. It just seems other than the velocity being a tick down from where it was then, it seems he’s the same guy. He works both sides of the plate with all his pitches.”

Sheets provided Cueto all the run support needed with that three-run home run on a 3-0 pitch from Detroit starter Garrett Hill. José Abreu extended his hitting streak to 14 games; every starter but Josh Harrison had at least one hit and six of the nine scored at least one run.

After scoring three in the first and three in the second, the White Sox provided Cueto a nice cushion to work with.

“For me that was a boost. Then I told myself to keep performing and keep the ball down,” said Cueto through interpreter Billy Russo. “Thank God I've just been feeling healthy. I just hope to keep feeling this way and keep helping the team."

“As a hitter, you don’t know what to look for,” said catcher Seby Zavala of Cueto. “When the guy is hitting spots like he does all game, it’s tough. Sinking it, cutting it. Both sides of the plate. Changeup, back and forth. you never know.”

Cueto allowed four singles and Spencer Torkelson’s two-out double in the eighth -- Torkelson was just the second runner to go as far as second base -- while striking out five without issuing a walk. La Russa lamented Cueto’s 3-4 record despite a 2.91 ERA over 68 innings, but Cueto is giving the White Sox a consistent chance to win.

This sort of beyond steady effort had to be the highest expectation level when the White Sox added Cueto, but Cueto knew he had plenty left to give. With his twists and turns on the mound and his pinpoint location, the results are proving Cueto true.

“I just trust my routine. I just like to work hard,” Cueto said. “After an outing like today, tomorrow I'm going to be working as hard as I've been working the whole time, doing my steps, climbing some steps and just running."

“He should have been in here since Opening Day, that’s what he has meant,” a smiling La Russa said. “He has picked us up when we needed it.”

“He’s a veteran guy who has evolved,” said Tigers manager A.J. Hinch of Cueto. “Great day by him, obviously controlled the entire day.”