Mets' Carlos Carrasco could return Friday or Saturday

The New York Mets are on the verge of having four first-choice starting pitchers healthy and available for the first time this season. 

According to SNY, Mets manager Buck Showalter told reporters before Monday's game at the Washington Nationals that Carlos Carrasco could potentially return to the rotation either Friday or Saturday against the Cleveland Guardians. 

Carrasco spent time with Cleveland from 2009 through the pandemic-shortened 2020 season until he and All-Star shortstop Francisco Lindor were traded to the Mets in January 2021. 

As Tim Healey noted for Newsday, Carrasco went 0-2 with an 8.56 ERA and 1.61 WHIP across three starts before he was sidelined after an April 15 outing due to right elbow inflammation linked with a bone spur. 

The 36-year-old also experienced a worrisome drop in velocity that The Athletic's Tim Britton suggested was related to the new MLB pitch clock. 

"Team decision-makers seem to believe Carrasco is better after a cortisone shot and rest," Healey reported. "He totaled seven scoreless innings in two minor-league outings" before Monday's development. 

Mets co-ace Max Scherzer previously served a 10-game suspension and more recently has managed to avoid a stint on the injured list as he deals with lingering back/side soreness that may impact him throughout the campaign. Scherzer was solid against Washington on Sunday after he was scratched from a start last week due to neck spasms. 

Fellow co-ace Justin Verlander has successfully made two starts this month after he landed on the IL back on Opening Day because of a low-grade teres major strain (strained shoulder). 

The Mets always knew Jose Quintana wouldn't pitch before July at the earliest because of a stress fracture in his rib, but adding Carrasco to the rotation as soon as possible will give the Amazins some badly needed depth ahead of Memorial Day. 

New York began Monday at 20-21 and trailing the first-place Atlanta Braves by five-and-a-half games in the National League East standings.