All-Stars stand up for Carlos Carrasco

CLEVELAND – On a night filled with memorable moments, the most touching scene at the 2019 All-Star Game happened between the fifth and sixth innings when Indians pitcher Carlos Carrasco and his teammates stood together for the Stand Up To Cancer presentation.

Carrasco, 32, was placed on the injured list in June, but he didn’t reveal the leukemia diagnosis until this weekend. His teammates and the rest of major league baseball have rallied behind him, especially on Tuesday night.

With All-Stars teammates Francisco Lindor, Carlos Santana, Shane Bieber, Brad Hand and manager Terry Francona by his side, the Venezuelan righthander held a placard with a simple message: “I Stand.”

“It’s a message to let him know we stand up for you,” Lindor said. “We’re all next to you. As a team, as a family, we’re all next to you and we’re right there. That’s all that matters. We believe in him. We all believe that he’s going to kick cancer’s butt, and he’ll be fine at the end of the day. Let him know that we’re here for you.”

The love for the 10-year veteran from Venezuela was obvious by the show of support and from his teammates’ words during and after the presentation.

“He said, ‘Thank you, guys. I love you,’” Lindor said. “We all told him, ‘We love you, brother. We’re here for you. No matter what happens we’re here for you because you’ve been there for us in the past.’ It’s something that you don’t want anybody to go through. It’s life, and he’ll be fine.”

Several All-Stars wrote Carrasco’s name on their cards, whether by writing “Carlos Carrasco,” his nickname “Cookie” or “Cookie Carrasco.”

“It’s a special moment,” said Astros outfielder Michael Brantley, who played his first 10 seasons in the majors in Cleveland with Carrasco. “I’ll never forget it.

“I talk to Cookie all the time through text and through phone calls supporting him. He has a large group of cast supporting him, and he’s going to fight. We’re going to keep him positive, and he’s going to be just fine.”

For more than a decade, players, coaches and fans at the All-Star Game have been given Stand Up To Cancer cards to honor loved ones who are battling or have battled cancer.

Even All-Stars who hardly know Carrasco wrote his name on their Stand Up To Cancer cards.

“A few days ago we learned the news of that great player,” Reds ace Luis Castillo said. “I don’t know him personally, but the way he looks you can tell he’s a very good person. It’s a regrettable case what’s happening to him. I asked my teammate to put his name too to lift his spirits so that God can take control of that and cover him.”

Castillo asked Reds teammate Sonny Gray to also put Carrasco’s name on the card, and Gray obliged.

Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte also wrote Carrasco’s name on his card.

“I’ve spoken only briefly to him, but as told you, we’re all family,” Marte said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re on the same team. I play in Arizona, and he’s in Cleveland, but that’s not important.

“We’re always going to be a family and more so because we’re Latinos. As the whole world knows, it’s a very difficult time for him because it’s an illness that’s very bad and nobody wants to have.”

Carrasco got one of the loudest ovations of the night from the crowd of 36,747. Long after most forget the score of the American League’s 4-3 victory over the National League, they’ll all likely reminder the touching Carrasco moment and the fact that Indians pitcher Shane Bieber was the All-Star Game MVP.

The game was an impressive exhibition of quality pitching, especially with Bieber, Liam Hendriks of the A’s and Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman each striking out the side in their individual innings of work.

The Carrasco moment, however, evoked a strong reaction from fans, players, coaches and managers.

“When I saw (Carrasco), it puts everything in perspective,” Red Sox and AL manager Álex Cora said. “We get caught up in wins and losses and pennant races and all that stuff and rivalries, and then that happens.

“And there’s more than baseball in life. And we’re thinking and praying for him, his family. And hopefully he can be back on the field sooner rather than later.”

Featured Image: Alex Trautwig / Major League Baseball