Good news for the Mets' rotation: Carlos Carrasco is scheduled to make a rehab start on Thursday, throwing two or three innings at a minor-league affiliate to be determined.
Carrasco has yet to throw a pitch since being acquired from Cleveland due to a torn right hamstring, threw a 29-pitch simulated game at Citi Field Saturday prior to the Mets' doubleheader, and manager Luis Rojas was impressed with what he saw.
"The stuff we saw is a really good big league pitcher's stuff," Rojas said. "Above-average fastball with ease, an above-average changeup action, and the breaking ball [looked good]. He's got a full repertoire. All his pitches just play. Right now we just need to see how he responds."
Carrasco, 34, threw all of his pitches to the trio if Luis Guillorme, Jose Peraza, and Billy McKinney, and even backpedaled for a pop-up, showing no ill effects on that hammy.
"He's a veteran pitcher, so I think nobody knows better than him, as far as where his arm is," Rojas said. "That's a conversation the performance staff is a part of, because the strength in his hamstring plays a big factor. It is now where we want it to be."
While the Mets have said early-August as a likely timeline for Carrasco's debut, he could join the team after that first rehab outing, and would be in line to pitch on July 20 in Cincinnati, the Mets' fifth game after the All-Star break.
Whenever he does return, his presence will be a huge boost for the Mets' rotation which, due to injuries to Carrasco, David Peterson, and Joey Lucchesi, currently has Tylor Megill (who began 2021 at Double-A) in the fourth spot and a mix of several candidates filling out the fifth spot.
"It would be huge," Rojas said. "As you guys know, we're in need of starters. We had a couple guys already go down. Cookie coming in now would be outstanding."
Peterson did play catch on Sunday for the first time since suffering a right oblique strain on June 30, but isn't expected back until mid-August at the earliest, while Noah Syndergaard is looking at September for his return after a setback in his rehab from 2020 Tommy John surgery.
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