ST. LOUIS — Carlos Carrasco is going to keep pitching, and he’s going to keep doing it with qthe Guardians.
Not the big-league Guardians, but with Class AAA Columbus. Carrasco was designated for assignment by Cleveland on Tuesday after Steven Kwan was placed in the injured list and Myles Straw recalled from Columbus.
Carrasco, 37, cleared waivers and accepted and outright to Columbus. He could have declined and become a free agent.
“It’s awesome,” said manager Stephen Vogt. “We love Cookie and the way he handled it the way he did, and that he wants to go back and pitch and stay ready for us, he’s the ultimate professional.
“He wants to be available to help us win if that’s the case.”
Carrasco, 3-10 with a 5.54 ERA in 21 starts this season, pitched for Cleveland from 2009 through 2020. He was traded to the Mets along with Francisco Lindor before the 2021 season, but signed a minor league deal this winter to return to Cleveland.
The chances of Carrasco rejoining the Guardians for the remainder of the season or the postseason are slim. But with the unsettled nature of the Guardians’ rotation, it’s good to have a safety net.