Let me start by saying I like Carlos Carrasco a lot. Good guy. Easy to root for.
But I think it is time to remove him from the rotation. He is 36. His ERA is 6.80 and somehow continues to rise. I know he has a bone spur in his elbow and he is pitching in pain to help the team. I appreciate that.
But he is not helping anyone right now. I think he is going to be a free agent and likely will be elsewhere next season (would not surprise me if he has a good year). Appreciate his efforts, wish him the best of luck in the future.
Why not take him out of the rotation and give someone else a chance? Could see what Lucchesi can do with 7 starts (or whatever is left). Or even better, let’s give Mike Vasil, who had another stellar start for Syracuse last night, a chance to show what he has.
Mike got off to a bad start in AAA, which is not unusual. The balls used in AAA are much different than the ones used at lower levels of the minors, and instead are like the ones used at the MLB level. During August, his ERA is 2.79 and hitters are hitting .175 against him. And he took a no hitter into the ninth inning.
It is a shame Luke Ritter just suffered an oblique injury and will miss the rest of the season. He really emerged this year, splitting time between Binghamton and Syracuse. Ended the year hitting .244 with 27 HRs. He played some at 1B, 3B and DH but has mostly played 2B to date. I think at this point, he has emerged as a legit prospect.
Another guy who came out of nowhere this season is Brandon McIlwaine. A former college football player, Brandon decided he had a better future in pro baseball. Hit .260 with 7 HRs in Bingo and is hitting .269 with 4 HRs in a month at Syracuse. Appears to be a plus defender with good range and a strong arm. Also has 16 steals this season and is 7 of 8 at the AAA level. Someone to watch out for and maybe someone who will get called up in September.