In what's already been an injury riddled start to Spring Training, it appeared the Cleveland Indians suffered another blow when Carlos Carrasco underwent an MRI on Thursday due to "discomfort in his upper leg."
But now that the results are in, it appears both the Indians and Carrasco can breathe a sigh of relief.
While the right-handed pitcher hasn't been cleared to return just yet, it appears any time he does miss won't be significant. On Friday, the Indians announced that imaging revealed that Carrasco had suffered a mild strain of the right hip flexor and that his current status is "day to day."
Any significant injury suffered by Carrasco could have proven crucial for Cleveland, which is already unsure whether or not it will have Mike Clevinger available on Opening day. Last week, the 29-year-old right-hander underwent surgery to repair a partial tear of the medial meniscus in his left knee, which will keep him sidelined for approximately 6-to-8 weeks.
Should Clevinger remain sidelined at the start of the season, Carrasco could have a chance to become Cleveland's first Opening Day starter other than Corey Kluber since 2014. In 2019, Carrasco opened the year as the Indians' No. 2 starter, before a leukemia diagnosis resulted in him missing most of the season.
Following his inspirational recovery, Carrasco rejoined Cleveland's roster as a member of the team's bullpen in September. The 32-year-old, however, is expected to resume his role as both a starter and an anchor of the Indians' in 2020.