Recent signing's latest gem at Triple-A isn't the answer for Rangers' rotation issues

The Texas Rangers starting rotation has been decimated by injuries. Before the season, the entire Rangers fanbase knew that it'd be at least midseason before the trio of Max Scherzer, Jacob deGrom, and Tyler Mahle made their way back onto the mound.

But Texas' rotation has been hit even harder with the likes of Jon Gray and Cody Bradford landing on the IL as well. This Rangers rotation has been held together by duct tape throughout the first two months of the season, and somehow Texas is well within striking distance of the AL West-leading Seattle Mariners.

But as desperate as the situation may seem at the moment, there's no need for the Rangers to overreact and be fooled into selecting the contract of former Cy Young finalist Johnny Cueto.

The Rangers signed Johnny Cueto to an MiLB deal in late April

Cueto's name is bound to catch the eye of a few Rangers fan who remember his time with the Cincinnati Reds and San Francisco Giants. The two-time All-Star recently signed a minor-league deal with the Rangers and was assigned to Triple-A Round Rock.

There was a time when Cueto was one of the most dominant pitchers in the game. From 2012-2016, Cueto went 73-38, owned a sparkling 2.80 ERA, and struck out 837 batters. Cueto averaged 28 starts per season and nearly 200 inning pitched during that incredible five-year span. But that was a long time ago.

Johnny Cueto had a terrific start for the Rangers' Triple-A affiliate

Cueto rekindled some of magic in a start for Triple-A Round Rock on Thursday night. The right-hander earned his first win of the minor league season with a six-inning shutout performance for the Express that saw him allow just three hits while striking out six.

Cueto is solid option to keep down on the farm in the event that the Rangers' pitching staff is really down bad, but the Texas fanbase cannot count on the 38-year-old hurler to ride in on a white horse and save the day.

Cueto had a resurgence with the Chicago White Sox two years ago. In 25 appearances, Cueto showed flashes of his old self, posting a 3.35 ERA and logging over 150 innings. The bounce-back campaign was enough for Cueto to entice the Miami Marlins to sign him to an $8.5 million deal last season. It turned out to a horrific mistake on the part of the Marlins' brass, who watched Cueto pitch in just 13 games to the tune of 6.02 ERA and 7.02 FIP.

It's great to see Cueto having success in the minors, but it's going to take more than just one solid performance against a minor league team who's best hitter was Eguy Rosario in order to convince the Rangers' front office that he's any sort of solution to their pitching problems. For now, Cueto is exactly where he needs to be — logging innings in the minors while acting as an emergency starter.

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