(Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
The New York Mets opened the season with a 3-1 record after dominating their weekend series against the Miami Marlins.
Things haven’t been so smooth on Monday, though.
The Milwaukee Brewers shut the Mets out 10-0 behind a masterful performance from starter Freddy Peralta and a grand slam by Brice Turang.
Carlos Carrasco, the starter for the Mets, had a debut to forget.
“Carlos Carrasco could not record an out in the fifth inning of his season debut. His final line: 4+ IP, 4 H, 5 ER, 4 BB, 4 K, 96 pitches. Carrasco’s average four-seam fastball velocity was 91.1 mph, the lowest of any outing in his career,” Mets insider Anthony DiComo tweeted.
Carlos Carrasco could not record an out in the fifth inning of his season debut. His final line:
4+ IP, 4 H, 5 ER, 4 BB, 4 K, 96 pitches.
Carrasco’s average four-seam fastball velocity was 91.1 mph, the lowest of any outing in his career. pic.twitter.com/yEmDTDr6a2
— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) April 3, 2023
Yikes.
Carrasco’s fastball velocity has been down since spring training, which is problematic because every one of his pitches plays off his heater.
He averaged between 95 and 96 mph in his best years with the Cleveland Guardians in the mid-2010s, but had settled between 93-94 mph in the last few years.
That was a velocity with which he could succeed.
He can’t succeed if he is barely throwing 91, though.
The right-hander missed a start in the latter part of spring training because of “elbow maintenance”, so it’s something to keep an eye on.
Last year, Carrasco had a solid 3.97 ERA in 152 frames with the Mets.
He is certainly capable of providing mid-rotation starter numbers to the Mets, but he needs that extra couple of mph back.
It will certainly be a situation to follow for the Mets, who are already down Jose Quintana and Justin Verlander from their original rotation.
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