For the Giants, the fact that Johnny Cueto had something of a down year meant they could get creative in signing one of the best pitchers in baseball.
The Giants introduced Cueto, a 2014 All-Star, at a news conference at AT&T Park and afterward, general manager Bobby Evans said the ability to give the right-hander an opt-out after two years helped get the six-year, $130 million deal done.
“It was a compromise,” Evans said. “With Johnny having some slide at the end of 2015, he recognizes there’s some upside to him and he wants to take advantage of it.