The Los Angeles Dodgers signed right-handed pitcher William Cuevas to a Minor League deal on Thursday and assigned him to Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Cuevas started for the OKC Dodgers on Saturday, just after being added to their roster, going three innings while giving up four runs on five hits with three walks and three strikeouts.
The 32-year-old has spent parts of three seasons at the Major League level with the Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers from 2016-2018. Cuevas last appeared in a big league game on Sept. 28, 2018, when he gave up six runs on six hits while only recording one out against the New York Yankees.
Cuevas owns a career 8.06 ERA, 5.71 FIP and 2.01 WHIP across 22.1 innings in 13 games, and he has struck out 21.2% of hitters faced while walking 15%.
The right-hander has a six-pitch mix, throwing a fastball, sinker, cutter, changeup, curveball and slider. If the Dodgers see upside in Cuevas, they would likely direct him to focus on his three best pitches rather than using the entire arsenal.
Cuevas has spent most of his career in the Red Sox organization, joining them in 2009 and staying until playing for the Tigers and Marlins during the 2017 season. Cuevas returned to Boston in 2018.
William Cuevas career history
Cuevas has spent the last four seasons pitching for the KT Wiz of the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO). With the Wiz, he logged a 3.98 ERA across 486.1 innings.
Although he is a native of Caracas, Venezuela, Cuevas pitched for Team Colombia in the 2023 World Baseball Classic because of his Colombian mother. Prior to pitching in the WBC, he also made an appearance with the Diablos Rojos Del Mexico, giving up four runs in just 0.2 innings of work.
Cuevas projects to serve as Minor League depth for the Dodgers, and it would be somewhat surprising if he does end up pitching at the Major League level. The move does help the Dodgers protect their younger arms and gives them an innings eater at Triple-A.
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