TORONTO
On the morning before his last start, Johnny Cueto acted like he was clairvoyant. He told Edinson Volquez how strong he felt. He informed his agent he intended to throw with maximum effort from the first pitch onward. Even manager Ned Yost noticed how Cueto winked at him upon his arrival in the Royals clubhouse.
“From the first pitch on, he was on the attack with his best stuff,” Yost said. “He was going to go out for as long as he could.”
The confidence and increased fastball velocity led to the pinnacle of Cueto’s brief career as a Royal, an eight-inning masterpiece to guide his team to a clinching victory in the American League Division Series over the Astros.