
The Yankees are rolling the dice on veteran right-hander Carlos Carrasco, signing him to a minor league deal on Monday, according to Jack Curry of the YES Network. The 37-year-old will turn 38 in March and is coming off a rough season with Cleveland, where he went 3-10 with a 5.64 ERA over 103 2/3 innings. At this stage in his career, Carrasco isn’t the impact starter he once was, but for a team that values pitching depth, this is a no-lose move.
A Flash of Competency in 2022
It has been quite some time since Carrasco was a serviceable major-league starter. In 2022, he tossed 152 innings for the Mets, posting a 3.97 ERA and showing he could still be a back-end rotation piece.

The drop-off in production since then, however, has been steep. His strikeout numbers have dipped, his command has become shakier, and his ability to keep the ball in the yard has diminished. That being said, if there’s anything left in the tank, the Yankees will do their best to extract it.
Potential Transition to the Bullpen
One path the Yankees could explore is shifting Carrasco into a relief role. With a four-seam fastball, slider, changeup, and sinker in his arsenal, he has enough variety to make an impact in shorter bursts.
A move to the bullpen would also limit his exposure to lineups multiple times through the order, which has been an issue in recent years. If he can rediscover even a fraction of his past effectiveness, he could be a useful depth piece for a team always looking to bolster its pitching staff.
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No Risk, Possible Reward
Signing Carrasco to a minor league deal comes with zero financial risk, and if he impresses in spring training, he could earn a spot as either a long reliever or an emergency starter. If he doesn’t show enough, the Yankees can move on without any damage to their payroll or roster flexibility. It’s a classic low-cost, low-risk signing that could pay dividends if the Yankees can find a way to squeeze out one last productive run from the veteran right-hander.