Cleveland Guardians veteran Carlos Carrasco is nearing the end of his career.
That doesn’t mean he can’t still contribute to the team, though.
Granted, he is not the star he used to be in the 2010s with Cleveland, but even with diminished velocity and a significant injury history, he is finding ways to turn around his season after a mediocre start.
He had a 5.80 ERA after a start against the Toronto Blue Jays on June 15.
His spot on the rotation was in danger, and if the Guardians had been healthier or had more arms at their disposal, he probably wouldn’t be pitching in the bigs for them at this point.
But the team stuck with him, and he has been able to show some signs of life in his last four outings.
“Carlos Carrasco, last 4 starts: 22 IP, 4 BB, 21 K, 3.68 ERA. He’s providing veteran stability and giving the club a chance to win,” Guardians of the Land tweeted.
Carlos Carrasco, last 4 starts:
22 IP, 4 BB, 21 K, 3.68 ERA
He's providing veteran stability and giving the club a chance to win.
— Guardians of The Land (@OurCLEGuardians) July 7, 2024
After his performance in the last four games, his season ERA is down to 5.22 in 81 frames.
It’s probably not what he wanted, but he is on his way to bringing down that number to below 5.00 if he can keep up the momentum.
Carrasco hasn’t allowed more than three runs in any of those last four starts, including a five-inning, three-run effort against the San Francisco Giants on Sunday.
You can’t ask much more from your backend starter: contribute five or six innings with no more than three runs conceded.
That’s what you would call “keeping his team in the game”, and it’s exactly what Carrasco has been doing of late.
NEXT: Guardians Send Five Players To The All-Star Game
