GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Johnny Cueto has left the Reds spring training camp and returned to his native Dominican Republic in order to tend to a family health matter, manager Bryan Price said Friday.
Cueto will be gone an indefinite time while dealing with this situation, said Price, but he will be able to utilize the Reds' academy in the Dominican Republic to continue preparing for his expected start on Opening Day, April 6, against Pittsburgh. Cueto was originally scheduled to start Friday night against the San Francisco Giants in Scottsdale.
Cueto was the National League Cy Young award runner-up last season after going 20-9 with a 2.25 ERA and 242 strikeouts in 243 2/3 innings.
Cueto has made three previous starts this spring totaling nine innings. He's allowed five hits and three runs with four walks and six strikeouts in those appearances. He went four innings last Sunday against the Chicago Cubs in his latest outing.
Anthony DeSclafani, who was supposed to start Thursday's game against Texas that was rained out, will start against San Francisco. Michael Lorenzen, J.J. Hoover and Nate Adcock are also on the travel roster and are expected to pitch against the Giants. The Reds are also having a camp scrimmage game on Friday to compensate for the rain out. Kevin Gregg, Manny Parra, Burke Badenhop and Sam LeCure are scheduled to pitch in that game.
