31 August 2023
Carlos Carrasco remains with the Mets after getting placed on waivers, but his role is about to change.
The right-hander will be in the bullpen Wednesday night against the Texas Rangers. The team called up right-hander Denyi Reyes from Triple-A Syracuse to start the final game of a three-game set at Citi Field, with the Mets skipping the struggling starter’s next turn in the rotation.
The veteran righty suggested the idea as a way to help the team. He hasn’t helped them much as of late and felt bad about only giving the Mets 1 2/3 innings his last time out.
“Carlos will be available out of the ‘pen,” manager Buck Showalter said. “He’s had three days off after 40-plus pitches. That’s Carlos — it doesn’t surprise me — but we still ran it by him.”
Carrasco hasn’t pitched in relief at all with the Mets and last did so in 2019 after he returned from cancer treatments. The 36-year-old has pitched well in 47 career relief appearances, going 7-3 with a 3.16 ERA.
Carrasco declined to talk to reporters Wednesday and the Mets were upset that his waiver status was leaked to the media. However, if Carrasco proves to be useful for the Mets in the bullpen over the next month, he could help eat some of the middle innings. He still wants to be able to contribute and the Mets don’t need the salary relief that would come from a waiver claim. The club has avoided designating him for assignment to take him off the 40-man roster.
This may not be a permanent move since the Mets would like to see how he can handle a relief role, but they haven’t ruled it out. Carrasco will be a free agent following the season so it’s a low-risk move to let him bide his time until free agency. The Mets don’t have another pitcher they would like to put on the 40-man right now.
“We hope that Reyes can get deep in the game, but if not, he could be an option to help us get through the game,” Showalter said. “We’ve got some guys we’re trying to be careful with, but after that’s over, if he pitches then it would change how we look at his next start. If he doesn’t pitch, then we would look at things differently as him being an option [for the bullpen].”
The Mets are off Thursday and Monday so they have some flexibility in the rotation. They can also add a pitcher Friday when rosters expand from 26 to 28.
The Mets optioned right-hander Sam Coonrod to Triple-A make room for Reyes on the roster.
BACK TO SCHOOL SPIRIT
Francisco Lindor spent Wednesday helping kids in Queens get ready for the upcoming school year. The Mets shortstop paid a visit to Tommie Agee School (MS 419) in East Elmhurst on Wednesday to distribute 250 New Balance backpacks filled with school supplies to sixth and seventh graders. His wife, Katia, and daughters, Kalina and Amapola, as well as Mr. and Mrs. Met were also on hand as Lindor distributed the bags to kids on campus.
“At one point, I was one of those kids,” Lindor said at the event. “I come from a family that didn’t have much and my parents worked extremely hard to bless us with school supplies, but there were times when I would show up to school and didn’t have everything I needed. So to be able to bless others and start the year on the right foot is very important.”
Lindor felt it was an important gesture not just for the kids, but for busy parents as well.
“It’s not about what it’s going to do in the future, it’s more about bringing a smile to their faces,” Lindor said. “Bringing a little bit of relief to their parents to not have to go search for school supplies, whether they don’t have the money or just don’t have the time because they’re working so hard to have food on the table.”
TRAINER’S ROOM
Closer Edwin Diaz threw off a mound for the second time since Sunday. The Mets aren’t ready to say when he will face hitters, but the next major hurdle to cross is throwing live batting practice.
()