Guardians sign Carlos Carrasco to minor league deal with invite to big league camp

Ryan Lewis, Akron Beacon Journal
Cleveland pitchers Corey Kluber, left, Carlos Carrasco, middle, and Zach McAllister, right, warm up at spring training on Feb. 13, 2017, in Goodyear, Ariz.
Cleveland pitchers Corey Kluber, left, Carlos Carrasco, middle, and Zach McAllister, right, warm up at spring training on Feb. 13, 2017, in Goodyear, Ariz.

The man known is "Cookie" has a chance to return to Cleveland.

Carlos Carrasco has signed a minor league deal with the Guardians that includes an invitation to big league camp, according to a report by The Athletic.

Carrasco pitched for Cleveland for 11 seasons, compiling a 107-93 record along with a combined 4.04 ERA and 1,573 strikeouts in 1,538 innings. His best season came in 2017, when he went 18-6 with a 3.29 ERA and 226 strikeouts in 200 innings en route to a fourth-place finish in American League Cy Young voting.

Carrasco was hit by a comebacker in September 2016, forcing him to miss the run to the World Series. That season, he had a 3.32 ERA and struck out more than a batter per inning (150 in 146⅓).

In 2019, it was revealed Carrasco was battling leukemia. He was recognized during Major League Baseball's Stand Up To Cancer moment during the 2019 All-Star Game at Progressive Field.

He was then involved in the blockbuster Francisco Lindor trade with the New York Mets, but he never found the same success in the Big Apple. In three seasons with the Mets, Carrasco had a 5.21 ERA and only pitched more than 90 innings in a season once while battling injuries.

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Now 36 (and turning 37 on March 21), he'll have a chance to crack the Guardians' major league rotation, particularly in the event of a trade or an injury.

Shane Bieber, Triston McKenzie, Gavin Williams, Tanner Bibee and Logan Allen figure to make up the Opening Day rotation without any hiccups. A Bieber trade remains possible, as he'll be a free agent after this season, though it could be more likely that if he's dealt it could be at the trade deadline this summer.

Ryan Lewis can be reached at rlewis@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Guardians at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/cleveland-guardians. Follow him on Twitter at @ByRyanLewis.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cleveland Guardians sign Carlos Carrasco to minor league deal

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