Cleveland Indians Pitcher Carlos Carrasco Out Indefinitely With Blood Disorder

The Cleveland Indians will be without starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco indefinitely after the team placed the 32-year-old righthander on the IL on Wednesday with an undisclosed blood condition. In a statement, the Indians said Carrasco had been feeling lethargic for several weeks. While the club is not certain when he will return, it does expect him back this season.

"Carlos was recently diagnosed with a blood condition following several weeks of feeling lethargic," the statement says. "While in the information-gathering stage, Carlos is stepping away from baseball activities to explore the optimal treatment and recovery options, the details of which will be conveyed at Carlos and his family's discretion. We do not know when Carlos will rejoin the club but expect him back at some point this season. At this time, our primary concern is Carlos' health and we will respect his wishes to keep this a private matter. We ask everyone to keep Carlos and his family in their thoughts during his challenging time."

Carrasco has been a mainstay in the Indians rotation and a key element in their AL Central-winning teams since 2011. The native of Venezuela is 83-68 in his 10-year major league career, which has been spent entirely with Cleveland. In 2017 he won a career-best 18 games, which was tied for the most in the majors, and finished fourth in the voting for the AL Cy Young Award.

This season Carrasco has struggled through the first two months. He is 4-6 with a 4.98 ERA and a WHIP of 1.31. The ERA is his highest since he had a 6.75 ERA in 2013, his first season back after undergoing Tommy John surgery. In his last two games (both losses), he allowed 11 earned runs and 19 hits in 12.2 innings total.

Six months ago, Carrasco signed a contract extension with Cleveland through the 2022 season with a club option for the 2023 campaign.