It has happened before, and it will surely happen again, even if it is far from ideal. The New York Yankees may have one of the strongest starting rotations entering the 2025 season. Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodon, Max Fried, Marcus Stroman, Luis Gil, and Clarke Schmidt form a formidable group that should not be overlooked.

But, if injuries become a factor for the Yankees, it would not be surprising to see Carlos Carrasco become a needed presence. Further, it may not be shocking to see the 37-year-old show that he still has something to offer.

“I had some ups and downs in ‘23 and ’24, but I feel really good coming into this year because I changed my mechanics,” Carrasco recently said. “I was rushing myself, so I didn’t have any power to throw the ball. This whole offseason I was working on that.”

Yankees could have viable contributor in Carlos Carrasco for 2025 season

Carrasco signed a minor league deal with the Yankees during the offseason and has already pitched this spring. The veteran recently tossed two innings and surrendered one run in an exhibition contest against the Minnesota Twins.

While this kind of contest is not a clear indicator of what Carrasco may or may not have left in the tank, it is at least a sign that he’s healthy enough to compete. Last year, Carrasco logged a 5.64 ERA in 103 2/3 innings for the Cleveland Guardians, but also ranked in the 79th percentile in chase rate.

Further, “Cookie” was a valuable part of the New York Mets rotation from 2021-2023. Even if one considers his first stint in Cleveland “ancient history” and his most recent season with the Guardians lackluster, his work with the Mets included expected peaks and valleys.

In 2022, Carrasco had a 3.97 ERA across 152 innings. In 2023, the righty posted a 6.80 ERA across 90 innings of work.

The Yankees have more trusted starters, but it is not a given that they will be healthy throughout 2025. It is also possible that New York would give Carrasco a chance later in the season simply because he is a known quantity to one extent or another. It is also worth wondering if the Yankees would try him as a multi-inning reliever in the bullpen.

While it would be easy to dismiss Carrasco, it is key to remember that every edge counts when attempting to make a postseason push. If Carrasco can stay healthy and find ways to be effective this spring, he may be worth the roll of the dice.