Yankees Make Bold Move: Carlos Carrasco Designated for Assignment—What It Means for the Team

The New York Yankees have made a significant roster move by recalling right-hander Yerry De los Santos to the active roster. In a corresponding move, they designated 38-year-old righty Carlos Carrasco for assignment, reducing their 40-man roster to 39 players.

Carrasco joined the Yankees on a minor league contract during the offseason. Unfortunately, injuries have plagued the Yankees’ rotation, impacting key players like Gerrit Cole, Luis Gil, and JT Brubaker, all of whom began the season on the injured list. This situation allowed Carrasco to secure a spot on the Opening Day roster. However, his performance hasn’t been stellar, with a 5.91 earned run average over six starts and two relief appearances. While his 7% walk rate is decent, he only struck out 17.6% of the batters he faced.

The Yankees’ injury woes have continued, with Marcus Stroman now joining Cole, Gil, and Brubaker on the injured list. Clarke Schmidt has recently dealt with flank soreness but has avoided the IL so far.

Despite Carrasco’s experience, the Yankees felt they could move on. The team’s schedule includes four off-days this month, allowing them to operate with a lighter rotation. Ryan Yarbrough has emerged as a potential candidate to fill Carrasco’s spot, having logged 19 1/3 innings over nine appearances with a 3.72 ERA and a 22.2% strikeout rate.

Currently, the rotation features Max Fried, Carlos Rodon, Will Warren, and Schmidt. With the off-days, they might stick with this four-man rotation for the time being, potentially giving Yarbrough a chance for a spot start. Allan Winans is also primed in Triple-A for a possible call-up.

Looking ahead, how the Yankees reshuffle their roster remains uncertain. While Carrasco’s recent statistics haven’t been impressive, there’s still a chance he could attract interest from teams in need of a veteran pitcher. Players like José Ureña and Ian Anderson have also been circulating through the league as teams search for reliable arms.

Historically, Carrasco has had a successful career in Major League Baseball. However, since the beginning of 2023, his performance has waned, as he’s averaged a 6.14 ERA and a 17.9% strikeout rate over 225.2 innings. With a ground ball rate of 44.9% being just around league average, the question remains whether he can regain his previous form.

As the baseball season progresses, the Yankees are at a crossroads. They need to find the right mix of talent and experience to navigate the challenges ahead.

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carlos carrasco,yerry de los santos