Carlos Carrasco Has Much Needed Bounce-Back Start

Following two very rough outings against the Houston Astros, Carlos Carrasco was looking to bounce back on Sunday afternoon against the Texas Rangers. And it was the Carrasco comeback that he needed.

Carrasco threw 5 2/3 innings on Sunday and gave up just one run on six hits and one walk, collecting eight strikeouts and earning the win to improve to 9-4 on the season as the Mets defeated the Rangers 4-1.

Prior to Sunday’s start against the Rangers, Carrasco had allowed three or more runs in each of his last four starts. Sunday, he allowed just one run. It was the outing he needed to regain confidence in his performance and control of his season. He is now tied for third in the Majors with nine wins.

“It feels nice,” said Carrasco on his start on Sunday.

He said he used more of his breaking balls against the Rangers and threw his fastball in and out as well. “That combination today was great,” he said.

Carrasco reflected back to his last outing against the Astros and said he wasn’t able to mix his pitches as well and that he worked on pitch mix in his bullpen sessions between outings and that he was more effectively able to mix his pitches on Sunday.

Of his eight strikeouts, Carrasco struck out six in his first four innings of work. He also only gave up one run. That run came in the third inning on a solo home run by Jonah Heim to tie the game at one. The third inning was where he ran into his first jam that included runners in scoring position with two outs, but he was able to work his way out of trouble. Carrasco didn’t struggle again until the sixth when he put the tying run at the plate, but Joely Rodriguez finished out the inning to get Carrasco and the Mets out of trouble again.

That was the relief Carrasco needed that allowed him to get credited with the win on Sunday to improve to nine total wins on the season, tied for the Majors lead with nine wins on the season through the first weekend of July.