The Yankees Carlos Carrasco Decision Is Coming!

Last month, if anyone told me that Carlos Carrasco would potentially play a large part of the Yankees starting rotation I would’ve laughed my butt off. I never saw that as a possibility, but here we are. It could really happen…depending on an important choice the Yankees will need to make.

On Friday, Carrasco turns 38. The Yankees could give him a birthday present of adding him to the 40-man roster, or they could choose not to add him and risk him opting out and becoming a free agent. Carrasco signed a minor league deal in February that allows him to opt out if he doesn’t make the big-league roster. 

Last month, I thought that would be more likely. Today? Not so much. Seriously, he was just the quintessential veteran depth arm for insurance. Now that the Yankees have been cursed with injuries that are the size of a starting rotation he is suddenly very important and could be the fifth starter. Remember when we were talking about Marcus Stroman as the sixth starter? Well now he is likely number three.

When you look at the state of the Yankee rotation with no Gerrit Cole this season or Luis Gil for at least half of the season, the Yankees need arms that are capable. When you look at what Carrasco has done this spring, it is hard to see the Yankees “passing” on him. In 11 innings this spring, he has stuck out 12 of 46 batters faced and pitched to a 2.45 ERA. While that sounds impressive, he’s walked six and hit three batters. The command has been shaky at best this spring, but thinking back to what Brian Cashman said last week “very little is available” as far as pitching goes. It sounds like this isn’t much of a decision.

The Yankees will need to play it safe here. We aren’t out of the woods yet with Clarke Schmidt, his shoulder is feeling better but he’s throwing live batting practice today so we will see where that goes. Even if he comes out of that okay, he will only have one more appearance before the season starts and that might get him stretched out to 50 pitches…. IF everything goes according to plan. Big IF, especially with our medical and training staff evaluating him so I have no confidence there.

At this point the Yankees need Carrasco more than he needs us. Will Warren could factor into this also, but the Yankees still have minor league options with him. A light pitching staff means they are more likely to keep Carrasco and send Warren down to keep him for additional depth if needed. The Yankees are very thin in the rotation, and we seem to be cursed. Even though I’m not in love with what Carrasco has done you can never have too much pitching…. especially now. The Yankees would be stupid to let him walk unless they can get trade for someone else or claim someone another team cuts.

I think Carrasco is here to stay. I just hope Schmidt is okay and our medical and training staff doesn’t mess this one up too.