Carlos Carrasco would star in most industries, but along with Francisco Lindor, he was simply the other man to give Cleveland to the Mets on Thursday.
The veteran right-hander solves a rotation need for the Mets, joining Jacob deGrom and Marcus Stroman to give the team a solid 1-2-3 pass. David Peterson, Seth Lugo and Steven Matz are the other possible options to complete the rotation. The Mets are also hopeful Noah Syndergaard will return to Tommy John surgery in June.
Last season, 33-year-old Carrasco won 3-4 with a 2.91 ERA for Cleveland. He is signed for the next two seasons, with a club option for 2023.
Carrasco was diagnosed with leukemia in 2019 and missed much of the season before returning to win AL Comeback Player of the Year. He began his career with the Phillies and went to Cleveland as part of the 2009 trade that Cliff Lee sent to Philadelphia. Carrasco finished fourth in the AL Cy Young poll in 2017, finishing 18-6 with a 3.29 ERA.
“This man is a very impressive man,” said a talent evaluator from a national league team. ‘He was a top prospect with the Phillies and they were very patient with him, and he came to Double-A and then he started struggling and they were patient with him. And the Indians were the ones who benefited from it. There was a lot of pressure on him as there was a Phillies prospect of fulfilling that number 1 bill, and it did not happen to them. ”
Carrasco, nicknamed “Cookie”, grew up in Venezuela. He became a U.S. citizen in 2016.
“He’s a real pro and he grew up a lot, and it was nice to watch him from when he was an 18-year-old to where he is now,” the talent judge said. “It’s a true success story and I think the Mets get a good man here.”
Mets general manager Jared Porter said he was still on the lookout for further help for the site. The Mets have shown interest, especially in free agent Jake Odorizzi, and they plan to attend Corey Kluber’s upcoming throwing session. But the addition of Carrasco reduces the pressure on the Mets to add another mid-of-the-turn option. Trevor Bauer is the leading free agent on the market, but the possibility that he will land with the Mets seems less likely than when the off-season began.
According to team president Sandy Alderson, Carrasco was not discussed in the initial trade talks with Cleveland, which began in November. But gradually the Mets’ need for an appetizer improved the trade package.
In the deal, the Mets handed over Andres Gimenez, Amed Rosario and prospects Isaiah Greene and Josh Wolf. The Mets’ main focus in the deal was Lindor.
“He’s at the top of most people’s short stop list – mine too,” the talent evaluator said.