Cleveland Indians extend Carlos Carrasco
The Cleveland Indians announced that they have reached an extension agreement with right-hander Carlos Carrasco, but what does this mean for the rest of the rotation?
As the Cleveland Indians struggle with financial concerns in 2019 and going forward, they have made it known that they would listen to trade offers for their top three pitchers. On Thursday, Carlos Carrasco, one of those three, reached an extension with the team. What does his extension mean for the other two starters?
Carrasco’s deal
Ken Rosenthal reported via Twitter that Carrasco will receive an extension beyond his already-exercised 2019 option. The deal will add on $27 million in guarantees.
Carrasco will earn the $9.75 million that had already been optioned for 2019, but rather than the $9.5 million option he had for 2020, he will now receive that money guaranteed, along with the incentives that could escalate that money, based on Cy Young voting, giving.
The added years come in 2021 and 2022, when Carrasco will earn $12 million each season, and he will have a 2023 vesting option of $14 million, with a $3 million buyout.
While many don’t think about Carrasco as one of the elite pitchers in the game, he certainly has been over the last 5 seasons, ranking 10th in bWAR, ahead of top arms like Madison Bumgarner, Dallas Keuchel, Gerrit Cole, and Cole Hamels.
So what do the Cleveland Indians do with the others
The Cleveland Indians have been rumored to be discussing Carrasco along with ace Corey Kluber and fellow top starter Trevor Bauer. What will happen with these arms in light of Carrasco’s extension?
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The best guess is the trade heat will be turned up, most likely on Bauer. Kluber certainly has significant interest, as he should with 3 All-Star selections and 2 Cy Young Awards to his name already, along with the #2 bWAR over the last 5 seasons (behind just
Max Scherzer.
Bauer, on the other hand, is on the rise, and it could be argued that he had the most impressive season in 2018, if it weren’t for injury. Bauer made the All-Star team for the first time, and he finished with a 2.21 ERA and 1.09 WHIP over 175 1/3 innings, posting a 57/221 BB/K ratio.
With two more seasons of arbitration control before free agency, Bauer doesn’t have the contract certainty of Kluber, but he will likely make significantly less money than the $34.5 million between 2019 and 2020, when Bauer will likely make roughly $10 million less.
The Indians don’t have to move either, but it will significantly make their ability to compete in 2019 more difficult as they will not be able to add to the team.
Next. Bauer: drones, arby, and trades. dark
While the extension to Carrasco is a positive move for the Cleveland Indians, it can leave just as many questions right now as answers.