Manager Luis Rojas said Tuesday that the club is "pretty optimistic" Carrassco (hamstring) will be activated to start Friday against the Reds, Tim Britton of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

It was reported Monday that the right-hander had a strong chance of making his season debut over the weekend, and now it appears that the veteran starter will take the ball Friday so long as he's given final clearance by the club's medical staff. The Mets will likely announce an official plan in the coming days, but if the 34-year-old does indeed start Friday, Rich Hill's next outing would likely be pushed to Saturday or Sunday. Carrasco is almost certain to be on some sort of strict pitch count in his return, given that he's yet to throw more than three innings in any of his rehab outings.