Beloved former Cleveland pitcher trying to make his homecoming complete

beloved former cleveland pitcher trying to make his homecoming complete

Right-hander Carlos Carrasco is in spring training with the Guardians trying to win a spot on the staff on a minor league deal.

GOODYEAR, Arizona — Carlos Carrasco made his big league debut on Sept. 1, 2009 for the Indians. He was 22, a young pitcher trying to find a spot in the rotation, after coming over from the Phillies in the Cliff Lee trade.

beloved former cleveland pitcher trying to make his homecoming complete

Carlos Carrasco pitched for Cleveland from 2009 through 2020. He’s in camp this spring training to make the team on a minor league deal.

“There were a lot of old guys (Carl Pavano, Roberto Hernandez, aka Fausto Carmona, Aaron Laffey and Jeremy Sowers) and I was the young guy,” said Carrasco. “I learned a lot.”

Carrasco spent 11 years in Cleveland before he was traded to the Mets with Francisco Lindor in January of 2021.

Now he’s back. The Indians have changed their name to the Guardians, but Cleveland is still Cleveland.

“Now I’m the old guy, with a lot of 21- and 22-year-old guys around,” said Carrasco on Monday at the Guards’ facility in Goodyear, Arizona. “But I’m still learning. You never stop learning in this game.”

There are only four players left who were Carrasco’s teammates when he was traded: José Ramírez, Shane Bieber, James Karinchak and Josh Naylor.

Carrasco’s old teammate, Corey Kluber, just announced his retirement. Kluber, 37, and Carrasco and several other players used to kick the soccer ball around before games at Progressive Field.

“It was part of our conditioning,” said Carrasco. “I talk to Kluber a lot. He had a great career. A two-time Cy Young winner. Now he gets time to spend with his family. But I’m not there yet.”

Carrasco turns 37 on March 21.

When Carrasco became a free agent after last season, he wanted to return to one place: Cleveland.

“It was really simple,” said Carrasco. “We were talking back and forth with Cleveland, and I made the decision to come back here. To come back home.

“I spent almost 12 years here. Almost everyone here knows me.

“There are some new faces. But I’m glad I’m here. I want to thank Chris Antonetti and the front office. They gave me an opportunity to come back.”

Carrasco is on a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training. It’s still unclear how he fits on the staff. The rotation, if everyone stays healthy, appears set with Bieber, Triston McKenzie, Tanner Bibee, Logan Allen and Gavin Williams.

He has pitched out of the bullpen before, but not since 2014.

“Even when I had a spot in the rotation here, I always came to spring training to compete,” said Carrasco. “That’s the only thing we have to do here. I’m going to come here and compete and they’ll make the best decision for the team.”

Carrasco, Hunter Gaddis, Xzavion Curry, Ben Lively and Joey Cantillo are among the starters in that group. Gaddis, Curry and Cantillo have options. Carrasco and Lively do not.

“We’re just going to let them get stretched out and go from there,” said new manager Stephen Vogt.

Carrasco’s best years in Cleveland came under manager Terry Francona. After last season, Francona stepped aside and Vogt was hired.

“It’s the same way as when you pitch,” said Carrasco, on playing for a new manager. “You have to make an adjustment. I faced Vogt a lot when he played for Oakland. I think I faced him when he played with Milwaukee.

“We are here to do exactly what he wants us to do. That’s part of baseball.”

Carrasco was always a popular player in Cleveland. Never more so than when fans saw how he handled the news that he had chronic myeloid leukemia in 2019. The team made the announcement following a May 30 start against the White Sox.

After an absence of almost three months, he returned to the mound on Sept. 1.

That year his teammates rallied to him during a Stand Up to Cancer moment at the All-Star Game at Progressive Field. After the season, Carrasco received MLB’s Roberto Clemente Award for his and his family’s charity work not only in Cleveland, but also around the world.

When asked about his health, Carrasco said, “Everything is good. I’m healthy. Everything is under control. I’ve already thrown two bullpens since I’ve been here. On Wednesday I’ll throw some light batting practice and we’ll go from there.”

Carrasco’s locker is in the far corner of the clubhouse where the veteran pitchers usually take residence. McKenzie is right next door. Bieber is just a few lockers down.

“Have you talked to Cookie, yet?” asked Bieber. “It’s like he never left. The energy he brings is unbelievable.”

©2024 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit cleveland.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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