It appears that the Cleveland Indians want to maintain their current pitching staff. One day after signing reigning Cy Young winner Corey Kluber to a five-year contract extension, the Indians have now done the same for starter/reliever Carlos Carrasco for three years.
FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal has announced that the Indians have agreed to a three-year contract extension for Carrasco.
In addition, MLB.com's Jordan Bastian reports that the extension is worth $22 million from 2016-2018, making for an average annual value of $7.33 million, approximately $5 million more than the right-hander will make this year.
Carrasco earned his extension with a stellar 2014 season in which he posted his best line of his five-year career: 8-7 record, 2.55 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 1 S, 140 strikeouts, and 3.7 WAR in 134 innings. He started 14 times, relieved 26 times, and held opponents to a .209 batting average against overall. He ended the season as a starter, posting a 1.30 ERA in his last 10 starts.
Bastian says that the Indians will officially announce the extensions of both Carrasco and Kluber on Tuesday when the Indians have the day off. They open their season Monday evening with the first game of a three-game series at the Houston Astros. The series will resume Wednesday evening and Thursday afternoon. Kluber will start Monday, and Carrasco will most likely get the ball Wednesday.