The Philadelphia Phillies are desperate to add starting pitching depth right now. Ever since the Andrew Painter experiment went down in flames, the team has been left with a collection of spare parts with which to cobble together a fifth spot in the rotation. The issue will need to be addressed at the trade deadline, but someone will be forced to take the ball every fifth day until then. Could the Atlanta Braves have just given the Phillies a gift by making Carlos Carrasco available?
The 39-year-old Carrasco has put together a very successful 17-year career in the big leagues, one in which he’s posted a 4.22 ERA across 1,702 lifetime innings. His heyday as a top-of-the-rotation arm with Cleveland is long gone, and the Venezuelan has bounced around between the New York Mets, New York Yankees and Atlanta Braves ever since.
It’s in Atlanta that Carrasco has found a sporadic home, as he’s been continually called upon for spot starts and bulk relief outings before being designated for assignment shortly thereafter. Since August of last year, Carrasco has ridden this merry-go-round six times. All told, he’s worked to an ugly 6.67 ERA over 28 ⅓ frames for the Braves, but has been much better this year with a 3.68 mark in 14 ⅔ innings.
This is the 6th time since August 2025 that the Braves DFA’d Carrasco, despite putting up solid stats.
— Phillies Tailgate (@PhilsTailgate) June 24, 2026
Even if he’s the in the pen instead of Johnson, I think he’s worth a look before the deadline. https://t.co/uwKGBCGdWx pic.twitter.com/YjZlCGhiY2
Each time the Braves designate Carrasco for assignment, he elects free agency before returning to the team on another minor league deal. This poses the risk of another club swooping in and signing him out from under the Braves. Could that club be the Phillies?
The Phils’ rotation is in a bad way. When Painter was mercifully sent back down to the minors, that opened up a void that has yet to be filled. Triple-A roster filler Alan Rangel performed admirably as the next man up, but he’s hardly a sure thing. After Rangel on the Phillies' depth chart are fellow journeymen Tucker Davidson and Kolby Allard; not too inspiring. Last year’s first-round pick Gage Wood has plenty of promise, but it would be asking a lot to send him straight from Double-A to the majors.
Could Carlos Carrasco finally play for the Phillies after all these years?
Adding Carrasco to that mix isn’t going to radically alter the composition of the Phillies’ rotation, but it would add another experienced arm to an area that desperately needs it. On top of that, it would be a heartwarming story to see him finally don red pinstripes after being traded away seventeen years ago in exchange for Cliff Lee.
That trade with the Indians that Carrasco was part of was a heck of a gift for the Phillies, seeing as Lee went on to help the Phillies capture a National League pennant as the ace of their staff. All these years later, Carlos Carrasco can give his old club one more gift if he steps into the starting rotation and delivers quality innings. He’s not likely to start any playoff games, or even make the postseason roster, but he can help ease the Phillies’ path to October just a little bit.
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