GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- As Carlos Carrasco's Minor League deal was nearing the finish line, he started texting clubhouse manager Tony Amato a picture of Ben Lively, who was slated to wear Carrasco’s coveted jersey number, 59.
A lot of things had to go right to even have to worry about getting No. 59 back in Cleveland. First, he had to agree to a deal with the team. When those details were worked out, it ended up being a Minor League contract, meaning Carrasco would have to fight his way onto the big league team as a non-roster invitee.
At that time, the rotation was set. The bullpen only had a spot or two to fill. His path forward with the organization he made his debut with 15 years ago wasn’t clear, but he was hopeful this emotional return could come to fruition. And on Friday, he was informed that he had made the Opening Day roster and would be the team’s fifth starter to begin the season.
"With the look on his face, you would’ve thought it was the first Opening Day roster he’s ever made,” Guardians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said. “He was that happy. It’s pretty cool."
“It was really emotional because every time, even when I was here in all those years that I signed the contract here in ‘17, ‘18 and ‘19, I always come in here to get a job,” Carrasco said.
“I never feel like, 'OK, I already have this.' I never feel that way because the same way that I was working in the Minor Leagues to get here, there’s a lot of people now doing the same. So I always work hard.”
There were a lot of moving pieces that led to this decision. Sam Hentges, Trevor Stephan and James Karinchak dealt with injuries that kept them out of the Opening Day roster race. Xzavion Curry and Lively battled a respiratory virus for nearly two weeks, preventing them from being ready by Thursday.
So, it became clearer that Carrasco would at least secure a bullpen spot. But he reclaimed his position in the rotation by beating out Tyler Beede as the fifth starter when it was determined that Gavin Williams’ elbow discomfort would put him a few weeks behind schedule.
Yes, a lot of things popped up to make Carrasco’s old job with Cleveland become available again, but he didn’t back his way into this position. The 37-year-old righty was effective this spring, giving up four earned runs in 14 innings (2.57 ERA) with nine strikeouts and six walks.
“I would say [it was a] really good [camp] because whatever they asked me to do, I did it,” Carrasco said. “Just go out there, pitch, and stay healthy. That’s the most important for me.”
The Opening Day roster is set and it looks much different from the team Carrasco remembers from four years ago, before he was traded to the Mets. Aside from Shane Bieber, Josh Naylor and Austin Hedges, the other 22 players are new, much younger teammates for Carrasco. But the 37-year-old doesn’t notice the age gap.
“I know I’m 37, but I don’t feel that way,” Carrasco said. “There were a lot of guys in here that I learned [from] and now that I’m in the same spot right now with a lot of young guys in there, I just want to help. I just want them to see that I’m still working no matter if you have one year or 14 years in the big leagues or 20 or 37 years old, I just want them to see the way I work so they can do all the same things, too. That’s what I learned when I was here in 2009.”
Carrasco can remember his rookie season as if it was only a few years ago. He had been traded from Philadelphia and finally got a chance in the big leagues with Cleveland on Sept. 1, 2009 with No. 59 sewn on his back.
Lively didn’t put up a fight. Everyone in the building knows that 59 belongs to Carrasco. It’s a number that means so much to him, but most importantly, it’ll now be worn for an organization that means everything to him.
“I’m here no matter what,” Carrasco said. “If I’m going to start or work out of the bullpen, I just want to be part of the team. I just want to play for Cleveland.”