Veteran right-hander Carlos Carrasco was one of four pitchers assigned to minor-league camp by the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday.
The 38-year-old Carrasco is coming off a dismal debut season with Atlanta in which he posted a 9.88 ERA in three starts after being traded midseason by the New York Yankees. Over 13.2 innings, he allowed 22 hits and three home runs.
As such, Carrasco was forced to settle for a minor-league deal with the Braves this winter.
He was sent to Triple-A Gwinnett along with right-handers Elieser Hernandez and James Karinchak and left-hander Hayden Harris.
Braves’ Rotation Hit Hard by Injuries
While the Braves’ rotation has been hit hard by injuries to Spencer Schwellenbach (elbow) and Hurston Waldrep (elbow), Carrasco still will need to wait his turn before rejoining the big-league club.
Carrasco’s struggles continued this spring with a 12.79 ERA over 6.1 innings. He last pitched March 9 against the Minnesota Twins, allowing four runs on four hits — including home runs — in 2.2 frames.
With Reynaldo Lopez (shoulder) and Grant Holmes (elbow) working their way back from injuries, Atlanta’s rotation is in flux behind Chris Sale and Spencer Strider. The Braves are relying on young arms to step up, and Grapefruit League performances over the next week will likely help finalize their plans.
Carrasco Struggled Before Midseason Trade
Carrasco was also ineffective as a Yankee last season, going 2-2 with a 5.91 ERA across eight outings (six starts). In 32 innings, he allowed 39 hits and seven home runs.
Seeking a veteran arm to eat innings, the Braves acquired Carrasco on July 28 for cash considerations.
Carrasco is well-respected throughout MLB, having won at least 14 games four times in 16 seasons. He was the AL wins leader in 2017, going 18-6 with a 3.29 ERA with Cleveland. He won another 17 games in 2018 before missing extensive time in 2019 after being diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia. He returned later that season and was named the AL Comeback Player of the Year.
Veteran Braves Pitcher Gets Disappointing Spring Training Update