WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Carlos Carrasco saved his best for the end of spring training.
After two shaky Grapefruit League appearances that followed a rough start in a minor league intrasquad game to start camp, the right-handed veteran gave the Mets a solid outing in Monday’s 3-3 draw with the Astros.
Carrasco allowed two earned runs on four hits and a walk in 4 ¹/₃ innings, leaving after 62 pitches. The relief is that he is healthy after off-season surgery to remove a bone chip from his right elbow.
Last season, Carrasco tore his right hamstring in spring training and didn’t pitch for the Mets until late July.
“It’s completely different right now,” Carrasco said. “Last year there was a lot of ups and downs with my hammy and all that, but I came into spring training healthy so I feel ready. The elbow is great, even better than last year.
Carrasco is expected to place behind Chris Bassitt and ahead of Taijuan Walker in the Mets rotation. His first start is expected to be Saturday or Sunday in Washington, but nothing is official as the team awaits Max Scherzer’s bullpen session on Tuesday.
Scherzer was scratched from his start on Saturday with a hamstring strain, and his availability the first time in the rotation could affect the roster of the remaining starters.
Already, the Mets have been without Jacob deGrom for an extended period due to a stress reaction in the right-hander’s shoulder blade.
“We have a lot of pitchers,” Carrasco said. “We’ve got some good guys in there and they’ve got good talent, so I’m pretty sure they’re going to go in there and do the job really well. [DeGrom’s injury] happened and we can’t do anything about it, so hopefully he can improve every day and I’m pretty sure Scherzer will come back, so I think he’s going to be ready.
Carrasco said he was impressed with Scherzer as a teammate.
“I really like his attitude, his way of speaking – he speaks to everyone, even with young people,” Carrasco said. “I really like the way he works, he works so hard. The day he throws he’s alone in there, but he’s a really good teammate.
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