It's official, Carlos Carrasco is back with the Cleveland Guardians organization after spending the first 11 seasons of his career here. The deal is a two-year minor league deal which will reportedly jump to $2 million if he makes it to the big league roster.
This deal could be viewed as a little confusing given the current state of Cleveland's pitching staff. However, there are a couple of different positions we could see Cookie in during the 2024 season.
The obvious role that we could see Carrasco in this season is as a starter. Yes, the rotation as of now is set for the season, but if 2023 taught fans anything it's that a projected-dominant pitching staff can quickly change with just a few injuries and subpar starts.
If the Guardians find themselves in a situation where Triston McKenzie, Shane Bieber, or any of the starters are out for a while then the organization has a veteran pitcher such as Carrasco who could step in.
However, there's also a scenario where the rotation is fully healthy and Cookie is on the big league roster.
Fans may forget that Carrasco came up through the Cleveland organization as a starter but transitioned into becoming a relief pitcher during the 2013-14 seasons. He ended up returning as a starting pitcher but the success he found as a reliever is why Cookie always pitches from the stretch, even when the base path is empty.
With his background as a reliever and being in the closing stages of his career, the idea for Carrasco to be a multi-inning relief pitcher could certainly be something that's on the table.
Whatever role Cookie finds himself in for the 2024 season, it's just great to have a player with his experience and character back in the organization.
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