[ad_1]
Carlos Carrasco’s role on the Mets, loose as it is, might be changing.
The 36-year-old was available out of the bullpen Wednesday night for the Mets’ 6-5, 10-inning win over the Rangers at Citi Field, manager Buck Showalter said.
Carrasco warmed up late, but was not brought in for what might be the first step toward his losing his spot in the rotation.
Showalter did not say definitively that Carrasco now will work out of the bullpen, rather than as part of the rotation, but the possibility exists.
Among pitchers who have pitched as much as Carrasco — at least 90 innings — his 6.80 ERA is the worst in baseball.
His ineffectiveness has hurt, but so has struggle to eat innings.
He is averaging fewer than five innings per start and most recently recorded just five outs while allowing five runs in a loss to the Angels on Saturday.
“He wanted to do it,” Showalter said of Carrasco possibly relieving. “Wanted to help any way he could.”
The Mets, who started Denyi Reyes on Wednesday, have few major league options to replace Carrasco, especially because David Peterson and Tylor Megill already are in the rotation. It is possible that Joey Lucchesi could come up and take a rotation spot.
There is at least a possibility Carrasco won’t be with the Mets much longer.
The 14-year veteran was placed on irrevocable waivers Tuesday, thus allowing any club to claim him — provided that team picks up the roughly $2.6 million due Carrasco. Such a move seems like a long shot.
Approached before the game Wednesday, Carrasco declined to comment.
Showalter was upset that the waivers news had leaked to the media, saying the person who had informed reporters about players on the waiver wire was behaving unethically.
“Someone chooses to make a decision in their life to hurt somebody and ingratiate themselves to whoever writes it,” Showalter said.
Reyes, who pitched a career-high 5 ¹/₃ innings, was charged with two runs on three hits and did not walk a batter.
“I was able to locate the pitches the way that we planned in that meeting with [catcher Omar Narvaez],” Reyes said through interpreter Alan Suriel.
In activating Reyes, the Mets optioned Sam Coonrod to Triple-A.
The righty had allowed one run in 5 ¹/₃ innings since returning from a lat strain.
Edwin Diaz threw off a mound for a second time in his recovery from surgery to repair a torn right patellar tendon.
“That went well,” Showalter said of Diaz, who likely will throw off a mound again in two or three days.
Jeff Brigham threw two scoreless relief innings and secured his first win since Sept. 26, 2019, when he was a Marlin.
Lefty Josh Walker, on the 60-day injured list with a right oblique strain, will continue his rehab in St. Lucie beginning Sunday, Showalter said.