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Cleveland Guardians Star with Underrated Career Elects Free Agency, Signaling End to Team Tenure

This very likely the end of "Cookie" in Cleveland, but what a ride it has been overall.

Brady Farkas

Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco (59) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Progressive Field on Aug 7.
Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco (59) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Progressive Field on Aug 7. / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
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Longtime Cleveland Guardians pitcher Carlos Carrasco was one of six players around baseball to elect free agency on Tuesday.

This move almost certainly ends his career in Cleveland, where he has spent the majority of his underrated career.

All in all, Carrasco has spent 15 years in the big leagues, including 12 with the Guardians. He's 110-103 for his career, but he had a stretch from 2015-2018 where he went 60-36. He won an American League-best 18 games back in 2017 and was part of a vaunted Cleveland staff that included Cy Young winner Corey Kluber and future Cy Young winner Trevor Bauer at one point.

The Guardians got to the World Series in the 2016, falling to the Chicago Cubs.

A native of Venezuela, Carrasco was traded to the New York Mets before the 2021 season as part of the deal that sent Francisco Lindor to Queens. He came back to Cleveland this past season, posting a 3-10 record with a 5.64 ERA. The Guardians advanced to the American League Championship Series but Carrasco didn't pitch in the playoffs. His last appearance was August 7.

Of course, the on-field accomplishments are just part of the story for Carrasco. He was diagnosed with Leukemia back in 2019 but was able to overcome it, finishing that season at the big-league level and also pitching through the pandemic-season in 2020 as well.

Now 37 years old, it's unclear if this is the end of the road for Carrasco. He could get another opportunity if he wants one, but it would almost certainly be on a minor league pact.

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Brady Farkas
BRADY FARKAS

Brady Farkas is a baseball writer for Fastball on Sports Illustrated/FanNation and the host of 'The Payoff Pitch' podcast which can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Videos on baseball also posted to YouTube. Brady has spent nearly a decade in sports talk radio and is a graduate of Oswego State University. You can follow him on Twitter @WDEVRadioBrady. 

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