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1.) How much money did Johnny Cueto leave on the table?
Early in the offseason, before it was clear that the Arizona Diamondbacks were all in for 2016, Johnny Cueto received an offer for six years and $126 million. He turned it down. Now, he is the last-remaining top-tier pitcher left on the market with no clear suitors. Only the Los Angeles Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals can realistically be viewed as a potential landing spot at this point. Even the Cardinals are an unlikely free-agent destination given Cueto’s history and the Jason LaRue incident. Perhaps the Washington Nationals will kick the tires if they miss out on Heyward. San Francisco may take a look if Mike Leake leaves, and there’s always a chance Arizona could come back with a lower offer.
If the Dodgers are the only team seriously chasing Cueto, it is unlikely he will see that $126 million figure presented again. The right-hander comes with a lot of question marks after a very bumpy few months with the Kansas City Royals. His first offer may ultimately turn out to be the best offer, but Cueto turned it down. The 29-year-old is now left to sweat it out and wait for a team to sign him.
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