Updated 12:51 PM EST
Former Royals top pitching prospect John Lamb is one of the names expected to be a part of the trade package heading back to Cincinnati:
John Lamb is expected to be among prospects going to #Reds in Johnny Cueto trade, source says. #Royals @FOXSports
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 26, 2015
The lefty was near the top of the heap of the Royals' cache of pitchers in their farm system before Tommy John surgery wiped out most of his 2011 and 2012 seasons.
Original Text
The AL-best Kansas City Royals have beefed up their rotation in a big way for their upcoming playoff push, reportedly coming to a trade agreement for Cincinnati Reds RHP Johnny Cueto.
Via Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports:
Source: #Royals getting Cueto.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) July 26, 2015
According to Andy McCullough of the Kansas City Star, the Royals have not yet acknowledged the trade nor given word on the group of prospects/players being sent to Cincy in return:
KC officials won't confirm team's acquisition of Johnny Cueto, which @Ken_Rosenthal said was done. Details should emerge today.
— Andy McCullough (@McCulloughStar) July 26, 2015
Cueto threw eight shutout innings against the Colorado Rockies on Saturday, shrugging off swirling trade rumors while allowing just four hits in a 5-2 victory. What made that start all the more remarkable was the fact that he was told he was trade just minutes before his start that he had been traded. However, reportedly one of the prospects that the Royals had ticketed for Cincinnati in yesterday's trade package failed his physical, causing the deal to temporarily fall through.
"They said something to me," Cueto told reporters after the game. "I don't want to use a bad word in this location. But it was really bad the way I found out what happened. My head went around the whole way. My thoughts were all over the place."
He is now 7-6 on the season with a sterling 2.62 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and 120 strikeouts in 130.2 innings pitched. He finished 2nd in the NL Cy Young Award voting last season to Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw.
The Royals will be on the hook for a pro-rated amount of the 29-year-old's $10 million salary for this year. He becomes an unrestricted free agent this winter.
The full breadth of players being swapped in this deal haven't yet been released to the press, but we'll keep you posted.
Get HYPED for Cueto's stay in Kansas City with this next hype video!