Cuevas settling into role with Baby Cakes

It has been a long road from Caracas, Venezuela for William Cuevas.
It took eight years after being signed by the Red Sox in 2009 for Cuevas to make his major league debut with Boston. He enjoyed three short stints in the big leagues in 2016, pitching a total of five innings, after working in 162 minor league games in the Red Sox organization. He earned mid-season Eastern League All-Star honors in 2015 with Portland after hoisting an 8-5 record and 3.40 ERA in 16 starts before the break.
After being designated for assignment last September, the Detroit Tigers signed Cuevas as a free agent and invited him to spring training. He found a home in the starting rotation with Triple-A Toledo before getting another big league chance.
He did not fare well, however. Handed a 7-1 lead in the ninth inning on April 14 in Cleveland, Cuevas nearly surrendered the game after allowing four runs while managing to record only one out before being pulled.
Cuevas was optioned back to Toledo the following day and struggled to a 6.19 ERA in four April starts with the Mud Hens.
"Sometimes when you are struggling it can be hard to stay positive and it definitely stays on your mind, but you have to think positively and do the best you can no matter what happens," Cuevas said. "The past is in the past and you just have to live in the present."
Cuevas elected free agency on June 1 after being designated for assignment by the Tigers. Shortly thereafter, the Marlins came calling with a minor league contract offer.
"Detroit outrighted my contract and put me on waivers for 10 days, which was the longest 10 days of my life to find another chance with a different team," Cuevas said. "I made the decision because the Marlins were one of the teams interested in me in the offseason and I thought it was the right time to listen to myself."
Unknown to Cuevas, he would be reunited with his former manager Arnie Beyeler. Cuevas had first met Beyeler when he was playing in Rookie League in 2009 and Boston had a team in the Venezuelan Winter League.
"I've known Arnie for a while now. He knows me from forever ago in my early career. I was a little surprised when I found out he was the manager here, which made me really happy," Cuevas said.
Cuevas joined the Baby Cakes on June 13 and made his debut with a scoreless innings out of the bullpen. He has since made two starts, working 10 2/3 shutout frames and allowing only two hits in 30 at-bats.
In his last start on Sunday against Colorado Springs, Cuevas surrendered an infield single to Kyle Wren leading off the game before retiring the next 17 batters, facing the minimum through six innings to earn his first victory with his new organization.
"The timing was working really well as far as pace of the game and every pitch was exactly where I wanted it," Cuevas said.
Cuevas was on a limited pitch count but managed to work six efficient innings on 61 pitches to notch his fourth quality start of the year.
"I used to work that quick and for some reason I wasn't doing it lately," Cuevas said. "Hopefully I'm going to be able to keep doing it."