Is Newest Yankee’s Addition Foreshadowing This Pitcher’s Departure?
By Derek McAdam
February 5, 2025
***
In what seems to be one of the first transactions made in several weeks after an eventful start to the off-season, the New York Yankees announced Monday that they signed Carlos Carrasco to a minor league contract. In fact, the last “big” signing the Yankees had was Paul Goldschmidt, who signed with the team before the start of the new year.
Carrasco, who will turn 38 next month, is coming off a 2024 season in which he went 3-10 with a 5.64 ERA in 21 starts for the Cleveland Guardians. The veteran spent his first 11 seasons in Cleveland, before spending the 2021-23 season with the New York Mets before returning to Cleveland for the 2024 season.
While this is by no means a big signing for the Yankees, especially given that Carrasco has been regressing over the past couple of seasons, it is noteworthy in a couple of regards. Signing Carrasco seven or eight years ago would have been huge news for any team, but not in 2025.
The first, and likely, reason that the Yankees signed Carrasco was for depth purposes. Even though he has taken a step back recently in overall performance, Carrasco has still pitched at the Major League level, which may make it an easy decision for the Yankees to make it another starter gets injured in Spring Training.
However, I could not help but think about another possibility of bringing Carrasco in: what if the Yankees are planning to be without Marcus Stroman on their Opening Day roster? It is no secret that Stroman has been the talk in Yankee trade rumors this off-season, and he was even rumored to be in a trade proposal for St. Louis Cardinals’ third baseman Nolan Arenado.
Brian Cashman would likely love to unload Stroman’s $18 million contract for 2025, which also has a vesting option for 2026 if Stroman pitches 140 innings this season. For reference, Stroman pitched 154 innings last season, so he would likely be in good shape to hit this mark barring any serious injury.
But, I do not think Carrasco’s signing is foreshadowing Stroman’s future. While Stroman does have a much higher salary, he is still currently an upgrade to Carrasco. And even with the way things are currently looking with the Yankees’ starting rotation, I still don’t see a spot for Carrasco if Stroman is traded. As of now, the rotation consists of Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, Carlos Rodon, Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt. At best, that would put Carrasco in the bullpen if all these players remain healthy and he makes the MLB roster.
Overall, I don’t think this transaction is extremely noteworthy. Carrasco has been around the league since 2009 and has had many good seasons in the league, so it’s the name that is drawing the headlines. But if there is one thing the Yankees have learned over the years, it is that you can never have enough depth at any position.
Several years ago, the team’s mantra was the “next man up” due to the plethora of injuries the team sustained. It’s good to know that if a starter goes down with an injury, the Yankees have someone available who has plenty of MLB experience. However, Carrasco returning to the majors likely means that he will need a very strong Spring Training or, perhaps, a strong stint in the minors.
Nonetheless, the Yankees were able to pick up a veteran pitcher at a minimum price. He may be able to mentor some of the younger pitchers in the farm system and bring a veteran-mentality to the clubhouse. But sadly for Carrasco, this signing will likely be nothing more than that.
5.64 ERA? Why not just pick someone off the street? DUMB!
Carrasco is just another long line of dumpster fire pickups that Cashman always does.... if he breaks camp on the roster I will be surprised!
you can never have enough seventh starters.