PORT ST. LUCIE — Carlos Carrasco watched two of his pitches disappear behind the fence at Clover Park on Wednesday.
A steady wind certainly didn’t help the right-hander, whose Grapefruit League debut included three earned runs allowed on six hits and one walk over four innings against the Astros.
Michael Brantley smashed a no-doubt, two-run homer against Carrasco in the third inning. In the fourth, Yordan Alvarez hit a solo homer that just cleared the fence in left — the direction in which the wind was blowing.
“It was a great pitch to Alvarez, a great pitch to Michael Brantley,” Carrasco said. “I think I could have thrown a little more inside to Michael Brantley. I know he is afraid of inside, and I think I should have put that a little bit more inside for a ball and throw another one down and away for a ground ball, but he just got in there.”
Carrasco, returning from October surgery to remove a bone fragment from his right elbow, had pitched 3 ¹/₃ innings in an intrasquad minor league game last week in which he allowed five earned runs, including two homers.
After throwing 45 pitches on this night, Carrasco was removed. He later threw another 15 pitches in the bullpen.
“I am glad I went out there and pitched and feel healthy,” Carrasco said.
Robinson Cano will likely start at first base Thursday against the Nationals, according to Buck Showalter, just to give him innings at a position he may play on occasion during the regular season.
The 39-year-old infielder last played first base for the Mariners in 2018, when he started 10 games at the position.
Eduardo Escobar, the Mets’ primary third baseman, started at second on Wednesday also to receive a look at a position at which he may be needed at some point.
“Just because you’re an infielder doesn’t mean you are going to be comfortable at any position,” Showalter said. “It’s like the outfield: Left field, center field, right field is completely different. … We are just trying to get them a different angle, a different look before we get out of here, because [time] is dwindling.”
James McCann started behind the plate for a second straight game after sitting out the previous week with back discomfort. Showalter plans to give McCann a night off on Thursday.
David Wright is expected in camp Thursday as a guest instructor. Al Leiter has been visiting in recent days in the same capacity. Keith Hernandez, Mike Piazza and Mookie Wilson are among the Mets alumni who have spent time in camp this spring interacting with players.