The New York Mets are picking up the contract option of starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco, general manager Billy Eppler announced at the Major League Baseball GM meetings Thursday in Las Vegas.
Doing so will pay the 35-year-old $14 million in 2023, which will be his last year under team control before hitting free agency next winter.
Bringing back Carrasco, at this point, was a no-brainer for the Mets — whose starting rotation is facing the great unknown this offseason.
Jacob deGrom, Taijuan Walker, and Chris Bassitt all opted out of their contracts earlier this week and could potentially sign with other teams beginning in the coming days now that the exclusive negotiating window for teams to retain their free agents expires on Thursday at 5 p.m. ET.
The only other starting pitchers under contract for the Mets are Max Scherzer, Tylor Megill, David Peterson, and Joey Lucchesi — a shell of what the Mets had on their 101-win squad in 2022.
Carrasco took a step forward in his second year with the Mets after a difficult 2021 season that featured injury issues and struggles on the hill after he was acquired from the Cleveland Guardians in the Francisco Lindor trade.
He went 15-7 in 2022 with a 3.97 ERA and 152 strikeouts in 152.0 innings of work. It was the most he’s worked in a single season since 2017 and valiantly working his way back to the mound after being diagnosed with leukemia in 2019.
His return ensures the Mets have a viable starter for the backend of the rotation. It’s the rest of the staff between Scherzer and him, now, that needs to be addressed.
