UPDATE: The Reds have confirmed the report.
***************
In a no-brainer move the Reds have exercised their $10 million option on Johnny Cueto for 2015, according to Chris Cotillo of MLB Daily Dish.
Cueto was amazing this season, leading the league in strikeouts (242) and innings (244) while posting a 2.25 ERA and holding opponents to a .192 batting average.
His durability was a pleasant surprise after Cueto topped 200 innings just once in the previous six seasons and was limited to 60 innings last year. He’s posted a sub-3.00 ERA in four consecutive seasons, going 53-25 with a 2.48 ERA in 102 total starts during that time.
He’ll be eligible for free agency next offseason at age 29, leading to some speculation that the Reds may look to trade Cueto if they don’t think signing him to a long-term extension is possible. He’s about 30 healthy starts away from a massive payday.
