3 Mets players ruining our preseason optimism we had for them

2) NY Mets disappointing player: Carlos Carrasco

Coming into the season Carlos Carrasco was slotted into the rotation as the Mets' fifth starter and at this point, his rotation spot may only be secured due to the injuries on the starting pitching staff. With both Justin Verlander and Jose Quintana on the injured list, Carrasco has managed to hold on to his rotation spot despite being outpitched by both fill-ins in David Peterson and Tylor Megill.

Over three starts and 13.2 innings pitched, Carrasco holds an 8.56 ERA and an ugly 1.61 WHIP. Carrasco has also failed to pitch more than five innings in any of his three starts, and we have seen a dip in his velocity as the game wears on in all of his starts as well.

I believed Carrasco would be a serviceable fifth starter for the Mets in terms of a pitcher who could eat innings, make 30 starts, and provide the Mets with some of the best starting rotation depth in baseball. Right now Carrasco does not look like the pitcher that he was for the vast majority of last season who pitched to a 3.97 ERA over 29 starts.

If Carrasco is unable to turn it around by the time Justin Verlander comes off the injured list, which may happen at some point next month, he may be shifted to the bullpen in a long-relief role as Megill and Peterson continue to make cases not to be removed from the starting rotation.