Mets' Carlos Carrasco 'feels great' after two scoreless innings in rehab start

PITTSBURGH — Carlos Carrasco’s medical history cannot be summarized by numbers or items in a transaction log, but there is one statistic that helps contextualize just how difficult this season has been for him.

His torn right hamstring, suffered in mid-March, has cost him the first three and a half months of the season. It’ll be pushing four, at least, by the time he returns.

His fight with leukemia in 2019 — from stunning diagnosis to treatment to return to a major-league mound — took just three months.

This, despite taking longer, is better than that.

"This process here for the last three months was really easy for me," Carrasco said Thursday. "I know there was a lot of ups and downs. Everything that I’ve been through, that I’ve learned through my life, I carry it. It feels great when you’re fighting for something that you want."

Carrasco’s comments came during a video news conference after his first game action in any environment — spring training, majors, minors — all year.

Appearing with High-A Brooklyn to begin a rehabilitation assignment, he tossed two scoreless innings on 27 pitches (19 strikes). The Jersey Shore BlueClaws, a Phillies affiliate, managed one hit and no walks and struck out twice.

That registered as a wildly successful soft debut for Carrasco, who said he was "super, super excited" and accomplished his goal of throwing all four of his pitches (four-seam fastball, slider, changeup, two-seam fastball).

"It feels really good. Fastball was good, the breaking ball, everything is good," he said. "More importantly, my hamstring feels great. I’m able to do everything. Before the game, I was doing everything that I’m supposed to do —running, pitching. Everything feels great. I’m really happy."

Carrasco, who joined the Mets from Cleveland in the January trade that also brought Francisco Lindor to the organization, said he didn’t know what his next step is beyond a bullpen session Saturday.

Mets decision-makers, however, have said that they are considering activating him before he is fully stretched out to the usual five or six innings. That would require him to finish his rehab in major-league games.

Asked about that possibility, Carrasco was noncommittal.

"You know what, I think the first step, what we did today, is really good," he said. "It’s really important. I just want to be there and pitch. At the same time, I need to follow all the schedule they have for me. [Friday] I have to come here and work out, throw my bullpen [Saturday], and we’ll see the next step. I just want to be there and help the team. That’s what I want."

If he stays on a normal five-day schedule, Carrasco has time to make two more starts — July 20 and July 25 — before the July 30 trade deadline. How he fares between now and then could influence what action the front office takes to bolster a Mets squad that leads the NL East by 3 1/2 games as it opens the second half Friday against the Pirates.

"The way they’ve played right now, the way they’re pitching, it’s really good," he said. "I can’t wait to go there and pitch. It’s coming soon. I’m really close."

An added perk for the Mets of Carrasco’s presence in Brooklyn: His catcher Thursday was 19-year-old Francisco Alvarez, the club’s top prospect.

"I really like the way he catches," Carrasco said. "He’s really smart, too. I like the way he thinks. I like the way he looks at every inning, every hitter, every swing."

Fargas healthy

The Mets activated outfielder Johneshwy Fargas from the injured list and optioned him to Double-A Binghamton. He had been out since May 26 with a sprained AC joint in his left shoulder.