Indians Pick Up Carlos Carrasco's 2019 Contract Option, Decline Brandon Guyer

The Cleveland Indians have exercised pitcher Carlos Carrasco's $9.75 million team option for the 2019 season, according to MLB.com's Jordan Bastian.

The club confirmed the news.

Per Bastian, the club also declined outfielder Brandon Guyer's $3 million option, instead paying a $250,000 buyout. The 32-year-old will become an unrestricted free agent.

Carrasco has turned into one of baseball's best bargains since he signed a four-year, $22 million extension in April 2015. In those four seasons, the right-hander has gone 60-36 with a 3.40 ERA in 119 games. He has thrown 183-plus innings in three of the past four years, including 200 in 2017.

The 31-year-old went 17-10 with a 3.38 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP in 32 games (30 starts), striking out a career-high 231 in 192 innings. He posted a 2.52 ERA in 14 games (13 starts) after the All-Star break.

Not only has he had regular-season success, but he has also shown up on the big stage. He has allowed just two runs in 11 innings over two postseason starts, including a 2017 outing in which he shut out the New York Yankees for 5.2 frames while allowing just three hits and striking out seven.

Carrasco's emergence has given Cleveland one of the best rotations in baseball. Headlined by Carrasco, two-time American League Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber and 2018 AL All-Star Trevor Bauer, the Indians rotation ranked third in the majors with a 3.39 ERA and ranked second to only the Houston Astros in strikeouts.

Meanwhile, Cleveland acquired Guyer in a 2016 trade-deadline deal. He later re-signed on a two-year contract, which included a club option. He hit .206 with seven home runs, 11 doubles and 27 RBI in 103 games in 2018. 

While his numbers may not jump off the page, Guyer will best be remembered in Cleveland for his performance during the 2016 playoffs. As the Indians made a run to the World Series, he posted a .333 average with one double, six runs and three RBI in 10 appearances.