Former New York Mets Pitcher Heads Back to Cleveland Guardians on Minor League Deal
Former New York Mets pitcher Carlos Carrasco is headed back to the Cleveland Guardians, a franchise he starred with from 2009-20.
Per Zack Meisel of 'The Athletic.'
Sources: Carlos Carrasco is coming back to Cleveland on a minor-league deal with an invitation to big-league spring training. The 36-year-old pitched for the organization from 2009-2020.
Carrasco was traded to the Mets in the Francisco Lindor deal after the 2020 season and pitched to mediocre results. He went just 1-5 in 2021 and 3-8 in 2023, but he did have a 15-7 season in 2022 sandwiched in between those two.
He's been one of the better pitchers in the league over the 14 years he's been in the majors. Lifetime, he's 107-93 with a 4.04 ERA. He won double-digit games with the Guardians in four separate seasons, including a league-high 18 wins in 2017. He also helped Cleveland get to the World Series in 2016.
He's received Cy Young votes in two separate seasons in his career. The nature of his deal makes no assurances for Carrasco, but should he make the roster, he'll have a chance to earn a spot in the rotation alongside presumptive pitchers like Triston McKenzie, Tanner Bibee and Shane Bieber.
The Guardians finished third in the American League Central in 2023 and missed the playoffs. After a long run with Terry Francona as their manager, Stephen Vogt is the new skipper.
As for the Mets, they appear headed for a mini-rebuild after finishing fourth in the National League East a season ago.
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