Carlos Carrasco Learning from Max Scherzer

You never stop learning, even if you’ve been in the majors for over a decade, and Carlos Carrasco was able to take some useful advice into his start on Tuesday after receiving some pearls of wisdom from fellow veteran starter Max Scherzer.

When the Mets made a huge splash in free agency by signing Scherzer to a three-year, $130 million deal, they weren’t just paying the big bucks for Scherzer’s prowess on the mound or his Hall of Fame resume. No, they were also paying a premium for the wealth of experience and knowledge that the three-time Cy Young Award winner has banked up over a stellar career in Major League Baseball.

One common sight this year has been Scherzer holding court among Mets pitchers in the dugout both in-between starts and after he comes out of a game. It has become pretty normal to see the 38-year-old engaged in deep, thoughtful conversation with other members of the rotation. One such moment came during Saturday’s game against the Atlanta Braves when, after he was done throwing seven scoreless innings with 11 strikeouts, Scherzer headed back to the dugout and went right back to work.

While he wasn’t pitching a gem anymore, he was dishing out invaluable teaching moments to a group of peers that were intent on soaking up every single thing Scherzer was saying. And they would be wise too. After all, Scherzer has achieved pretty much there is all to accomplish in this game. He’s a three-time Cy Young Award winner, he’s an eight-time All-Star, he’s a World Series winner and he’s a surefire Hall of Famer.

Therefore, you make sure you are listening when someone like Scherzer starts speaking about the art of pitching, and Carrasco was no exception on Saturday. Despite boasting a pretty impressive resume himself over a 13-year career in the big leagues, the 35-year-old made sure to pick up on everything Scherzer had to say.

Per Steve Gelbs of SNY, Scherzer kept repeating the fact that he had “got behind the baseball” during his start on Saturday, and Carrasco just stood there, listened, and took those lessons on board heading into his start on Tuesday. Armed with that newfound wisdom, he applied it when using his slider against the Reds. It worked out pretty well too.

He tossed 6 2/3 innings, allowing just two runs while striking out nine. He went deep and, while he eventually ran out of gas in the seventh, it was another impressive outing and his slider was the driving force behind it. Carrasco used that pitch 35% of the time with a 47% whiff rate, with the pitch touching 85.5 MPH at one point. Carrasco has used the slider 25.3% of the time this season, second behind the fastball (35.2%), and it has been one of his most lethal pitches with a 36.5% whiff rate.

However, Scherzer’s advice to just get behind the baseball allowed Carrasco to perfect the art of his slider, and six of his nine strikeouts came via that pitch – a season-high with that particular pitch. According to Gelbs, Carrasco went back into the dugout after his start and thanked Scherzer for the priceless advice that paid off and then some. Scherzer appeared puzzled at first given that Carrasco didn’t take part in the conversation on Saturday, but he was listening intently, and sometimes it pays to be silent and just listen. There are so many complicated mechanics that go into perfecting a particular pitch, so the fact that something as simple as a little advice from Scherzer had such an impact on Carrasco’s slider is quite something.

It goes to show how well respected Scherzer is in that clubhouse. Carrasco is having a stellar year and is pitching at the peak of his powers with a 13-4 record, a 3.76 ERA, and 123 strikeouts with a 1.279 WHIP. Over his last six starts going into Tuesday, the righty had a 1.50 ERA in 36 innings pitched. So, the fact that a veteran like Carrasco can still learn and pick something new up at this stage of his career speaks volumes about the influence Scherzer has amongst his peers. It is never too late to learn, after all.

After his start on Tuesday, Carrasco spoke about how the entire rotation comes together every single day to help each other make adjustments on the fly. “It helps a lot,” Carrasco said. “Every game we go out there and try to pick something that can make an adjustment, and we make an adjustment. That’s what we are doing every day. We go out there during the game to see what’s going on, and we bring it to the next day.”

Before Wednesday, Mets starters boasted a 2.23 ERA over their last 31 games dating back to July 5 – the best ERA of any rotation over that span and miles ahead of the next-best Dodgers. Not only is that testament to the quality arms the Mets have in their starting rotation, but it is also a testament to the experience and the leadership they have in abundance too. And the fact that Scherzer is not only teaching and helping the younger members of the pitching staff but the veterans as well, like Carrasco, is only a good omen for October. You learn from the best if you can and the fact that Carrasco and his teammates are willing to tap into Scherzer’s expertise and vast knowledge can only continue to lead to good things for the Mets.