CLEVELAND -- Ever since the offseason began, the Cleveland Indians' starting pitching staff has found itself linked to plenty of trade rumors.
One starter, however, who isn't going anywhere is Carlos Carrasco, who has agreed to a contract extension with the Indians, per the team.
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic first reported the news of Carrasco's new deal.
The extension will keep Carrasco in Cleveland through the 2022 season, with a vesting option for the 2023 campaign. The right-hander 31-year-old was previously signed through the 2019 season, with the Indians having also exercised his $10.25 million option for 2020, according to Rosenthal.
With Carrasco now off the market, the likelihood of Cleveland trading either Corey Kluber or Trevor Bauer may have increased. To this point, both players have been linked to trade talks, as the Indians look to shed salary while simultaneously bolstering the rest of their roster.
In 32 appearances last season, including 30 starts, Carrasco compiled a 17-10 record to go along with a 3.38 earned run average and career-high 231 strikeouts. In 2017, he led the American League with 18 wins, while posting a career-best 3.29 ERA.
Should Kluber in fact be traded, Carrasco would presumably take over as Cleveland's No. 1 starting pitcher.
