Giants' Cueto To Start All-Star Game
According to John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Giants pitcher Johnny Cueto will be the National team's starting pitcher on the mound for Tuesday's All-Star Game in San Diego.
The news is no surprise as teammate and fellow all-star Madison Bumgarner won't pitch in the All-Star game due to his recent start on Sunday and Clayton Kershaw's recent trip to the disabled list. The next guy up, statistically, is Cueto.
The is entering the break with a national league-high 13 wins - with only one loss - a third-best 2.47 ERA (behind only Kershaw and Bumgarner) and the most innings pitched in the league (131.1). Cueto also leads the league in complete games with four.
The American league team will be sending Chicago White Sox starter Chris Sale on the mound. Sale leads the league with 14 wins, but he's only 11th in the AL in ERA (3.38).
Along with Cueto, the Giants will have Buster Posey starting behind the plate for the National team, his fourth All-Star game appearance in the last five years. The team will also have Bumgarner and the "Final Vote" winner Brandon Belt - his first All-Star game - on the bench with a chance to play later on in the game.
Cueto now joins an elite group of Giants pitchers to start in the All-Star game: Matt Cain (2012), Tim Lincecum (2009), Jason Schmidt (2003), Rick Reuschel (1989), Vida Blue (1978), Juan Marichal (1965, 1967) and Carl Hubbell (1934). Jake Peavy has also done it in his career, but it was 2007 when he was on the San Diego Padres.
