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Johnny Cueto said he was 'really close' to Reds' return

Seven months before the Cincinnati Reds’ front office didn’t address the biggest need on the Reds’ roster and trade for a veteran starting pitcher at the trade deadline, the Reds were in talks with a free agent starting pitcher who fit the specific skill set that they were looking for.

One of the Reds’ biggest priorities in the offseason was adding a veteran starting pitcher. In January, the Reds considered bringing former All-Star Johnny Cueto back to Cincinnati.

Was he close to signing with the Reds?

“Yeah, I was really close,” Cueto said on Tuesday from the visitor’s dugout at Great American Ball Park.