The Rockies brought Carasiti back in 2024, but only for a little while
Welcome to the 2024 edition of Ranking the Rockies, where we take a look back at every player to log playing time for the Rockies in 2024. The purpose of this list is to provide a snapshot of the player in context. The “Ranking” is an organizing principle that’s drawn from Baseball Reference’s WAR (rWAR). It’s not something the staff debated. We’ll begin with the player with the lowest rWAR and end up with the player with the highest.
★ ★ ★
No. 40, Matt Carasiti, -0.5 rWAR
Maybe the Rockies just really, really needed pitchers.
Eight years ago, I made the case in these (web)pages that Matt Carasiti forced his way onto the major league roster and demonstrated enough raw talent to warrant further chances with the club, possibly as a Right-handed One Out Guy. Of course, he was traded for big-league-ready bullpen help in 2017. Last year, he completed his circuitous route back to Coors Field that included stops in the Nippon League, independent leagues, and the operating table for Tommy John surgery. That he made it back to the show at all was an accomplishment.
Imagine my surprise, then, when he made it back into Rockies pinstripes after I so resolutely proclaimed his Rockies career dead after being outrighted off the 40-man roster last October. Never underestimate the Rockies’ penchant for familiar faces, I guess. Unfortunately for Carasiti, the reunion played nothing but old hits. His first two appearances (May 24 and 26) he held the Phillies scoreless across 2-⅓ innings, facing eight batters and striking out two. His next appearance, May 28 against Cleveland, he got tagged for five earned runs off two home runs with two walks and no strikeouts across 11 batters. So far, nothing to indicate that promise remained.
Two scoreless outings later, Carasiti came into a 3-0 game against the Cardinals on June 6 and recorded as many outs as runs allowed but earned a hold because HUZZAH he didn’t blow the lead and the Rockies went on to win. The next night did not go so well. Entering in a tie game in the bottom of the eighth on no days rest, Carasiti allowed three runs on three hits with a walk, earning himself the loss. Questions plagued Bud Black’s bullpen management all season, but Carasiti did not perform, regardless of the situation into which he was placed.
That was the end of Carasiti’s major league season. The Rockies designated him for assignment the next day and, after clearing waivers, he elected free agency. He signed a minor league deal with the Braves on June 10 but made just 11 appearances for the Triple-A Gwinnett Stripers. Even though those 11 appearances weren’t bad—five earned runs and 19 strikeouts over 13 innings—the Braves released him on August 1. Perhaps it was the 15 walks in those 11 games that did him in.
In the end, Carasiti finished 2024 with a major league stat line of 8-⅔ innings over seven appearances with seven strikeouts, three walks, and ten runs allowed (all earned) for a 10.38 ERA. If this does finally turn out to be his final appearance on a major league roster, he’ll close his career as the 21,224th player in big league history with a 7.41 ERA and 1.886 WHIP across 58 appearances. In his 58-⅓ innings pitched he posted a -1.3 rWAR but did notch a save.
And hey, nobody will ever be able to take those 58 appearances at the major league level, with the big lights and the three decks of seats, away from him.
★ ★ ★
Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks!