New York Mets starter Carlos Carrasco is making progress and is still on pace to return in the early part of May.
According to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, Carrasco was stretched out to five innings in a game in Port St. Lucie on Thursday, and he’s very much on track to return for the Mets in the second week of May.
Should there be no complications in his ongoing rehab from a hamstring tear, then Carrasco will likely make one final start for an affiliate on MiLB Opening Day (May 4), before reporting to the Mets for what will be a long-awaited Major League debut for this team.
Carrasco was acquired by the Mets as part of the blockbuster trade for superstar shortstop Francisco Lindor from Cleveland in the offseason, with Carrasco adding a veteran and proven arm to a loaded rotation.
However, after being hindered by arm soreness in spring training, the 34-year-old tore his hamstring and his Mets debut was put on hold, while also weakening a group of arms that is still without Noah Syndergaard.
Carrasco’s absence hasn’t hurt this rotation, though, with the Mets getting some incredible pitching performances from ace Jacob deGrom who has a stellar 0.51 ERA, while Marcus Stroman (2.25 ERA) and Taijuan Walker (2.14) have also both been outstanding.
On the flip side, though, Carrasco is one of the most underrated starting pitchers in the majors with more than 1,000 strikeouts in 870 innings, and his comeback will be an added boost to a rotation that is currently ranked fifth in ERA in MLB.
In other news, Jacob Resnick of SNY tweeted out earlier that shortstop Jose Peraza has been optioned to the Mets Alternate Training Site, although it is yet unclear who will be replacing him with Daniel Zamora and Jordan Yamamoto among those eligible.
