Johnny Cueto scheduled to arrive at Giants camp Friday, likely won't pitch in WBC 1st round

MESA, Ariz. -- Johnny Cueto is finally scheduled to arrive at San Francisco Giants camp on Friday, and the Dominican right-hander likely will not pitch in the World Baseball Classic -- at least in the first round.

"He'll be in tonight," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said Friday after his team's Cactus League game against the Oakland A's. Cueto then will have a physical and meet with team management before he takes the field for any baseball activities, a team spokesman said.

Cueto's father has been ill, so the pitcher wanted to bring him to the U.S. from the Dominican Republic. That delayed his arrival by a couple of weeks so that a visa could be obtained for his father.

Cueto has been working out at the Giants' facility in the Dominican, so the late arrival is not expected to affect anything relating to the pitcher's normal preparation for the season.

But with the WBC beginning Thursday for the Dominican team, it wouldn't leave much time for the Giants to assess everything before Cueto had to pitch a competitive tournament game.

The 31-year-old had an outstanding first year with the Giants, going 18-5 with a 2.79 ERA. He signed a six-year, $130 million contract with San Francisco after helping the Kansas City Royals win the 2015 World Series.