The Mets find themselves playing the waiting game on the future of starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco after they announced on Wednesday that he received an injection to alleviate a bone spur in his right elbow shortly after putting him on the 15-day injured list.
Surgery remains an option on the table, but the team will reevaluate how his arm responds to the injection after three-to-five days of no throwing in an attempt to curtail the injury.
Carrasco was coming off his best start of the young season on Saturday in Oakland, limiting the Athletics to two runs on four hits in five innings of work. He entered that third start of the season saddled with an 11.42 ERA.
The Mets rotation is already thin with Justin Verlander still working his way back from a strained shoulder that has pushed back his team debut. Jose Quintana is recovering from rib surgery, and Max Scherzer was pushed back three days this week due to back soreness before he was ejected from Wednesday’s game against the Dodgers.
Verlander and Quintana’s injuries have already forced the Mets to start the season with Tylor Megill an David Peterson — both of whom were told during the latter portions of spring training that they’d start the season in Triple-A.
Jose Butto, who was called up to start for Scherzer on Sunday, was optioned back down to Triple-A. Instead of the Mets recalling him when they put Carrasco on the IL, reliever Jeff Brigham got the call, meaning Butto can’t be promoted for at least 10 days or if another player is placed on the IL.
With Friday’s starter against the San Francisco Giants unknown, the Mets could call up Joey Lucchesi, who has had a strong start in the minors, for a spot start. The 29-year-old left-hander is 2-0 with a 2.30 ERA in three starts with Triple-A Syracuse.
They could also turn to a bullpen game and give the ball to reliever Tommy Hunter, who was activated from the IL earlier this week after dealing with back spasms. Granted, the bullpen was worked a bit more than usual on Wednesday after Scherzer was given the hook after just three innings.
