Reds right-hander Johnny Cueto just made easy work of the Padres’ lineup, tossing a complete-game shutout in which he allowed just three hits and two walks to lower his ERA to 1.25.
Cueto has completed three of his nine starts this year, which already ties his career-high set in 2011. Coming into the season he had a grand total of six complete games in 160 starts.
And here’s another crazy stat, via Elias Sports Bureau: Cueto is the first pitcher with nine straight starts of seven innings innings or more and two runs or fewer to begin a season since Harry Krause in 1909.
Cueto was limited to just 11 starts last season because of injuries, but when he’s healthy and rolling there aren’t many pitchers better. Dating back to 2011 he’s started 77 games with a 2.42 ERA in 506 innings, which is the second-best ERA in all of baseball during that time behind only Clayton Kershaw at 2.19. No one else is below 2.80.
