PORT ST. LUCIE – Carlos Carrasco picked up Sunday at the Mets spring training complex, after which he left no doubt about his intentions for the start of the season.
“Ah, yes, I’ll be ready,” said Carrasco.
Coach Luis Rojas prefers to take a more cautious approach to the right-handed, who was prevented from launching last week after incurring elbow discomfort after a live hitting training session. Even so, Rojas did not rule out the possibility that Carrasco was ready.
Carrasco previously dealt with this pain in spring training with the Indians and recovered from a similar rest. At this point, Rojas will wait to see with Carrasco, who has not yet appeared in a Grapefruit League game this spring.
“It’s great to hear your optimism,” said Rojas. “I’m going to stay on the track, but I have to respect a guy like Carlos, who knows the body very well. He is an experienced hitter. We will see it unfold now over the course of this week and then we can see if it is ready. “
Carrasco is expected to play again on Monday, before holding a parallel session the next day. Rojas recently mentioned the possibility of Carrasco facing live hitters later this week, but he was not ready to commit to that schedule on Sunday.
If Carrasco is not ready to start the season, the Mets can choose between David Peterson, Joey Lucchesi and Jordan Yamamoto, all competing for fifth place in the rotation, to fill the vacancy.
“I’ve done this in the past,” said Carrasco, who turns 34 next weekend. “I know my body. I know my routine. I know everything, but I will be ready for the season. I started playing today, but I’ll be ready. “
Rojas said that by the end of the week, team officials should have a better understanding of Carrasco’s situation. Carrasco will not necessarily have to start an exhibition game to prepare, according to Rojas.
“This guy is an experienced guy, he is involved in many games, playoff games, whatever you want,” said Rojas. “He has the spirit of competition at the level of the major league and has been successful, so for him to go through this progression and grow and be healthy, that is our main objective. If he doesn’t face an opponent [uniform] I think Carlos will be the same Carlos that we hope to have. “