CLEVELAND (92.3 The Fan) -- Carlos Carrasco is making a big step from his battle with leukemia in 2019.That big step for Carrasco, making his first start for the Cleveland Indians in the series finale against the Kansas City Royals on Sunday afternoon.The 2019 American League Comeback Player of the Year made his last start as a starting pitcher on May 30, 2019, against the Chicago White Sox, where Carrasco went 6 1/3 innings and gave six earned runs. Indians manager Terry Francona is grateful to see ‘Cookie’ make his way back to being a starting pitcher. “I think he’s at a point where he wants to win a game for us,” Francona said before Sunday’s game vs. the Royals. “That’s the idea and that’s a good thing. The fact that he’s come some far; he’s pitching and it’s really awesome. Today he is trying to win a game for us and I think that is even more awesome.”Francona doesn’t know long Carrasco will go in his first start, but if Carrasco can get quick outs, he will be in for the long haul.
Bullpen Day
Kansas City will use its bullpen against Cleveland on Sunday in the series finale with right-hander Ronald Bolanos making a start for the Royals.Francona thinks bullpen days for the opponent gives them a slight advantage but a better advantage for teams down the road. “A lot of times, people look at a bullpen day and think they have the advantage,” Francona said. “I think one of the advantages goes to the next team because they’re probably going to use the majority of their guys today.“They have enough pitchers with the 30-man roster, but you have to try -- and get a beat on a guy because they’re trying to get him in-and-out, and go to someone else.”
Friends on Twitter
Last night, Indians pitcher Mike Clevinger and Reds and former Indians pitchers went on a Twitter exchange about the international tiebreaking rule in extra innings.Clevinger said on Twitter: "This new extra inning rule is the whackest s*** I’ve ever seen, do you have any idea how hard it is to get a runner to second off the back end of a bullpen?!!!"
Bauer responded to his old teammate: "But don’t both sides get a chance with a runner at second base?"
Francona knows the extra-inning rule is new for this 60-game shorten season but knows it is still new to everyone in MLB. “We never done this before in baseball,” Francona said. “I understand why they’re doing this now, so I haven’t really given it a ton of taught. I think you’re handed with rules or whatever challenges you’re giving with, so you do the best you can.”
Next Team Up
Cleveland will welcome the Chicago White Sox for a three-game series starting Monday night. Aaron Civale will take the mound for his season debut for the Indians. At the same time, the White Sox will counter with right-hander Dylan Cease (0-0, 0.00 ERA).The Indians went 8-11 against the White Sox in 2019, which was the team’s only losing record against a divisional foe.
