'I love to pitch here': Cueto's return ends with a standing ovation in KC

KANSAS CITY -- With a smile on his face, Johnny Cueto walked off a Major League mound for the first time in 2024 to a standing ovation.

Nine years prior, he was in the other dugout at Kauffman Stadium, helping the Royals to an eventual World Series title. Now at 38 years old, his love of the game still apparent as ever, he returned to the stadium where he pitched a complete game in the Fall Classic.

The fans didn’t forget, and neither did Cueto.

“I was part of the 2015 World Series champs, and I had to pitch [Game 5 of the ALDS against the Astros], and they know, they recognize that,” Cueto said through translator Manny Del Campo. “And I feel grateful. I thank God. I love to pitch here, and they recognize what I did.

“It’s an unbelievable feeling. I came here in 2022 with the White Sox [and then] here today. It’s an amazing experience. I feel very blessed, very thankful for the fans, for the ovations and everything. And I’m very thankful to Salvy and my teammates who won the championship with me, too.”

It’s been a long journey back to the big leagues. Cueto hadn’t pitched in the Majors since September with the Marlins, grinding through Triple-A in the Rangers' and Angels' organizations this season to try to earn another opportunity at the highest level.

And when he got it, he did more than enough in the Angels’ 3-0 loss to the Royals on Wednesday.

With his signature shimmy in full form -- which helped induce a groundout to MJ Melendez in the second inning -- Cueto tossed his first quality start since June 22, 2023, with Miami. The veteran righty pitched into the seventh inning, striking out one and walking two.

“I thought he did a tremendous job,” manager Ron Washington said. “I mean, to come back after a long time out and to give us almost seven innings, I was very impressed. We just didn’t support him with any runs. But he went out there and he did his job.”

He didn’t exactly fool Royals hitters, but he pitched to contact and recorded quick outs. Cueto had a five-pitch first inning and got five outs on just 11 pitches. It wasn’t until a two-out rally by Kansas City, which included three hits and a walk, that the Royals scratched across two runs.

“He’s also able to kind of disrupt your timing with his little shimmy-shakes, quick pitches and all that,” Melendez said. “He definitely knows what he’s doing up there.

“Not a lot of guys in the league do that. Whenever he does that, it can definitely throw you off a little bit.”

The first eight balls put in play off Cueto had an exit velocity of 91 mph or higher -- including five at or above 102.1 mph -- but after that, he settled in.

“Bobby [Witt Jr.] squared it up, Salvy squared it up. But he got a ton of ground balls. He was working the edges. He had the sinker,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “Looked like he front-hipped it a bunch, at least got it on guys, especially our lefties, and he elevated it, too. He pitched.”

Cueto retired nine straight -- including six consecutive groundouts -- from the third to the sixth inning to get deep into the game. He gave up a two-out homer to Melendez in the sixth that rang off the right-field foul pole, but then got out of the inning and went back out in the seventh and recorded an out before Washington pulled the veteran.

Washington stood on the mound longer than usual, speaking to Cueto before the right-hander walked off -- embracing his moment back in the big leagues and the memories that were made inside The K.

“I think it’s very special for him, they must have loved what he did here when he pitched here, and I can see why,” Washington said. “Because he is a competitor.”

The Angels haven’t decided whether Cueto will get another start yet, or when, but Washington said Cueto’s performance Wednesday should determine that.

But for Cueto, getting back to the Major Leagues for the first time in 329 days was the main thing on his mind postgame. The Angels didn’t get the result they wanted in the win column, but Cueto did more than enough to put the Halos in position to win.

He has a history of that at Kauffman Stadium.

“I feel very happy. I feel thankful,” Cueto said. “Thankful to the team for this opportunity.”