Brad Penner-USA TODAY

When the Mets made their blockbuster deal to acquire Francisco Lindor from the Cleveland Indians in January, Carlos Carrasco was expected to be an important addition to the rotation. The right-hander pitched to a 3.77 ERA over his 11 seasons in Cleveland, and he finished in fourth in American League Cy Young voting in 2017.

A sore elbow and a torn hamstring delayed the beginning of his first season in New York, but with the Mets desperately needing starting pitching help, Carrasco finally made his Mets debut Friday night against the Cincinnati Reds.

Carrasco was greeted rudely by Jonathan India to start the game, as his first pitch of the season was hit for a home run. Carrasco got some help from his defense against Jesse Winker to get his first out of the night. Winker hit a ground ball up the middle that looked like it would make its way into center field, but Jeff McNeil did his best impression of Javy Baez, who the Mets just acquired in a trade, to take away a hit with a backhand stop and running throw to get the out. After Kyle Farmer lined out to center, Carrasco struck out Joey Votto for his first punch out as a Met.

Carrasco’s second inning started with another strikeout, this one against his former Cleveland teammate Tyler Naquin. Tucker Barnhart followed with what looked like a routine ground ball to McNeil, but the ball hit the lip of the outfield grass and bounced over McNeil for a single. Carrasco was able to strand Barnhart at first by striking out Eugenio Suarez before McNeil made another tough play to take a hit away from Shogo Akiyama.

Carrasco kicked off the third inning by striking out Sonny Gray. After India walked and advanced to second on a Winker groundout, Farmer hit a come-backer to Carrasco to end the inning and strand another runner on base. It would be his only inning without allowing a hit.

After Votto led off the fourth inning with a ground out to Pete Alonso at first, a Naquin ground-rule double put another Reds baserunner on. Carrasco induced a fly out to left field from Barnhart for the second out before the Mets’ defense showed up to help Carrasco again. Suarez hit a ball that looked like it would fall in just beyond Luis Guillorme‘s reach at short, but Guillorme made a leaping catch going backward to end the inning and Carrasco’s night with the game still tied.

Carrasco’s line in his 2021 debut: 4 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 K.

Carrasco only threw 58 pitches in his first start of 2021, but he looked like the pitcher the Mets were hoping for when they acquired him in January. After allowing a home run on his first pitch, he turned in four strong innings and had success with all of his pitches. Although he did get some help from his defense, Carrasco having success against a strong offensive team in his first start in 308 days is a very encouraging sign for the Mets.

“I felt really good, except the first pitch of the game,” Carrasco said following the game. “After that pitch, everything settled down.”

Carrasco was expected to be the team’s number two starting pitcher behind Jacob deGrom when he was acquired. With the news that deGrom would be shut down for two weeks and no significant starting pitcher added at the trade deadline, his return was needed now more than ever. The Mets will need Carrasco to resemble to pitcher he was in Cleveland if they want to win their first N.L. East Division Championship in six years.