The Cleveland Guardians placed veteran right-hander Carlos Carrasco on the injured list on Tuesday because of an acute neck spasm. In a corresponding move, the Guardians recalled righty Xzavion Curry from Triple-A Columbus. Curry is expected to take Carrasco’s start on Tuesday night against the New York Mets.
Carrasco, 37, returned to the Guardians after three seasons with the Mets following his inclusion in the Francisco Lindor trade. Over the course of nine starts so far this year, he’s compiled a 5.16 ERA (74 ERA+) and a 1.89 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Carrasco, then, is faring only slightly better than he did with the Mets last season, when he posted a 61 ERA+ and a 1.74 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
Curry, 25, has made 44 big-league appearances dating back to 2022, including 12 starts. In 109 career innings, he’s amassed a 4.03 ERA (104 ERA+) and a 1.97 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Curry’s lone big-league appearance this season was an April 15 start against the Boston Red Sox. He threw five scoreless innings, holding the Red Sox to two hits and a walk and striking out three batters.
Carrasco joins Shane Bieber (Tommy John surgery) and Gavin Williams (elbow inflammation) as Guardians starters on the shelf. Bieber is out for the season and Williams has not yet pitched this year after authoring an impressive 16-start introduction to the majors in 2023. The Guardians’ rotation ranked 13th in the majors in staff ERA entering Tuesday — that despite some early season struggles from left-hander Logan Allen.
The Guardians enter Tuesday with a 31-17 record on the season, good for first place in the American League Central. Cleveland will enter play against the Mets with a 1.5-game lead over the Kansas City Royals, as well as a 6.5-game lead over the preseason favorite Minnesota Twins.
