Major League Baseball

Reds' Johnny Cueto suffering elbow inflammation, will miss start

Published May. 26, 2015 5:08 p.m. ET

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Reds starter Johnny Cueto will miss at least one more start after an MRI found inflammation in his pitching elbow.

Results Tuesday showed no major damage in the right elbow. Cueto, who won 20 games last season, had to skip a scheduled start over the weekend because of stiffness.

Manager Bryan Price said Cueto will throw in the next few days and see how the elbow feels. If the stiffness is gone, he will have a bullpen session. The Reds would then consider when to let him start again.

Cueto is in the final year of his contract and hasn't been able to reach a deal with the Reds, who could trade him at midseason if they're still out of the race. Cincinnati had lost nine in a row -- its longest slump in 17 years -- heading into a game on Tuesday against Colorado.

"I think more than anything, what gives us peace of mind is there's really no major structural damage, no injury that would linger or could get worse," Price said. "That being said, he still has to go out there and throw and make sure that the stiffness and soreness is out."

Cueto is 3-4 with a 3.03 ERA in nine starts. He and Mike Leake are the two holdovers from last year's rotation. Homer Bailey tore a ligament in his pitching elbow and had Tommy John surgery. Mat Latos was traded to Miami in the offseason.