SAN FRANCISCO -- There is almost nothing to be learned from a rehabbing veteran's box score in the minors. That was reinforced a couple of years ago when a Dodgers A-ball team crushed Madison Bumgarner as he tried to get a feel for his signature cutter.
So throw out the five runs Johnny Cueto was charged with in Modesto on Tuesday night. Look only at the number "60," which is how many pitches Cueto threw in his second appearance for the San Jose Giants.
The big league training staff had hoped to see Cueto get above 55, and he appeared to have another solid night of work as he inched closer to the big leagues. Cueto gave up four hits, walked one and struck out three. His next stop will be Triple-A Sacramento for two more starts.
Cueto is lined up to pitch in Sacramento on Monday and manager Bruce Bochy told reporters in Chicago that he should be back in the big leagues around Sept. 8. For over a year, Cueto has targeted the first week of September.
The right-hander is now nearly 13 months removed from Tommy John surgery and has had no setbacks. He was coming along so smoothly that the Giants discussed taking away one of the rehab starts and getting him back early, although there were plenty in the organization who preferred caution.
The original path was two starts for San Jose and two for Sacramento, and Cueto is halfway through the schedule that'll soon get him back with the Giants.
