OAKLAND, Calif. — Not only has Carlos Carrasco been the Mets’ weakest pitching link two weeks into the regular season, but both of his starts have been non-competitive.
As the Mets prepare for the possibility that Justin Verlander will return to the rotation before the end of this month, the pressure could be on Carrasco to find the answer, and soon.
The veteran right-hander will take an 11.42 ERA into his start Saturday against the Athletics, after ugly performances against the Brewers and Marlins, in which he failed to complete five innings either time.
Across the board, the numbers are troublesome, starting with an average fastball velocity that has dropped from 93.2 mph last year to 91.2 mph this season.
Carrasco’s strikeout rate of 11.9 percent ranks in MLB’s eighth percentile and is well below his 2022 figure of 23.6 percent.
“I’m not concerned about [the velocity],” Carrasco said before the Mets’ 17-6 blowout win over the A’s on Friday night. “It’s early in the season. I am pretty sure it’s going to come back. Everything feels good — my whole body feels good: my elbow, my shoulder. Everything feels great.”
Meanwhile, the Mets have received respectable production from David Peterson and Tylor Megill in the rotation.
Want to catch a game? The Mets schedule with links to buy tickets can be found here.
Peterson won his job in spring training after Jose Quintana underwent rib surgery that will keep him sidelined at least until July. And Megill stepped in after Verlander was diagnosed with a strained teres major muscle that has prevented him from debuting with the Mets.
In his three starts, Peterson has twice kept the Mets in games. Most notably, he has pitched to weak contact, ranking in MLB’s 78th percentile in average exit velocity.
Read Related Also: Wagner Group recruiting in Russian schools after heavy losses in Bakhmut: report
He has also struck out a respectable 23.9 percent of the batters he has faced this season.
Megill has performed even better, perhaps burying concerns that arose in spring training about his command.
The right-hander has pitched to a 2.25 ERA and won all three of his starts.
Carrasco has walked five of the 18 left-handed batters he has faced this season. All three of the homers he has allowed have been to right-handers.
He struggled with the pitch clock in his start against the Brewers and was removed after throwing 96 pitches in four-plus innings. Four walks were his biggest issue. Against the Marlins he allowed two home runs and was removed after 4 ²/₃ innings and 83 pitches.
Privately, the Mets had concerns over the 36-year-old Carrasco during the offseason. There was debate within the organization over whether to pick up his option for this year or give a rotation spot to Peterson or Megill, but the organization valued the starting pitching depth.
Carrasco hopes to change his approach Saturday.
“I am just going to ready myself to hit my spot instead of being too cute throwing the ball,” Carrasco said. “That is what I have been practicing in the bullpen, just attacking and saying I am going to go for it.”
Manager Buck Showalter wouldn’t rule out information overload as a factor with Carrasco.
“Sometimes you can let your brain get in the way of just physically executing pitches,” Showalter said. “Sometimes it’s just a mentality as much as anything. If good things happen for him early, I think you will see him settle in.”
