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The New York Mets have made an important decision with their pitching rotation ahead of Jacob deGrom's MLB free agent bid. With a need to retain all the pitching they can, the Mets have picked up Carlos Carrasco's 2023 option, as reported by Tim Healey of Newsday Sports.
Carrasco's option, worth $14 million, was a wise investment by the Mets, especially given the fact that the club doesn't yet know what will come to pass in free agency with deGrom.
Carrasco, 35, was an important part of the Mets' rotation. The 13-year veteran pitched to a 15-7 record with a 3.97 ERA and 152 strikeouts in as many innings pitched.
Health issues had plagued Carlos Carrasco for the last several years, as he dealt with an elbow injury before battling leukemia. Finally healthy, bringing back Carrasco was a sensible decision.
In addition to the decision on Carrasco, the club decided not to extend a qualifying offer to fellow starter Taijuan Walker, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post. This means that the veteran hurler will now enter free agency with no restrictions.
However, the club is planning on extending the qualifying offer on deGrom, outfielder Brandon Nimmo and pitcher Chris Bassitt.
A rotation with a lot of potential turnover now has a fairly decent chance of remaining relatively intact. Provided the Mets can lock up deGrom to a long-term deal, they'll have a massive pitching advantage over most opponents.
That is certainly not a guarantee though, given rumors that deGrom desires a Max Scherzer-like salary. It will certainly be interesting to see how things play out.
