Yankees designate veteran RHP Carlos Carrasco for assignment

NEW YORK (AP) — Needing another reliever, the New York Yankees designated struggling starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco for assignment on Tuesday.

The Yankees recalled Yerry de Los Santos from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre to replace Carrasco. The right-hander made his only appearance for the Yankees during a doubleheader on April 27 against Toronto and is 1-1 with a 1.74 ERA in 10 appearances in Triple-A.

Carrasco was 2-2 with a 5.91 ERA in eight appearances and made six starts for the Yankees, whose rotation began Tuesday with a 3.92 ERA. Carlos Rodón and Max Fried have combined to go 10-3 with a 2.03 ERA while other Yankees starters are 3-6 with a 6.02 ERA.

“It was a tough call, with how we feel about Cookie,” manager Aaron Boone said before the Yankees continued a three-game series with the San Diego Padres. “We’ve toyed with it for a couple of days now, and just felt like it was the right time.”

Injuries to Gerrit Cole (elbow) and Luis Gil (lat) created a spot for Carrasco, who signed a one-year contract on March 22.

Carrasco was in spring training on a minor league deal and could have opted out but he was re-signed after posting a 1.69 ERA in five spring training outings, including four starts.

Carrasco was 3-10 with a 5.64 ERA in 21 starts for Cleveland last season. In 15 seasons, Carrasco has a 112-105 record and 4.18 ERA. He led the American League in wins in 2017, when he was 18-6 with Cleveland and also was named the 2019 AL Comeback Player of the Year following a return from leukemia.

“What I told him is, ‘I’ve always admired him from across the diamond,’” Boone said. “We got to see it up close, in what a phenomenal human being Carlos is, with the class with which he carries himself. It really was a pleasure to be around him for these last couple of months, and who knows? He may be back here.”

Boone did not immediately say who would take Carrasco’s spot.

The Yankees may use Ryan Yarbrough, who pitched four scoreless innings filling in for Clarke Schmidt on Saturday. Another option Boone hinted at is Allan Winans, who has pitched 14 scoreless innings in Triple-A.

Stanton faces live pitching

Giancarlo Stanton, recovering from epicondylitis in both elbows since the start of spring training, took two at-bats and saw 10 pitches in a live batting practice session from reliever Jake Cousins, who is rehabbing a right elbow flexor strain.

Stanton is expected to remain in New York during the upcoming West Coast trip and continue rehabbing against the high-velocity Trajekt machine.

“I thought his at-bats were really good,” Boone said. “Cousins is not an easy at-bat for a righty, especially. I thought Cousins looked good and G looked like he was controlling the at-bats pretty well.”

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