TAMPA — In a Yankees camp that has gone poorly, the race for the final rotation spot has gone well.
Carlos Carrasco and Will Warren, neither of whom was in the rotation picture a month ago, are pitching as if they want to remain in the picture.
Carrasco was strong in 3 ¹/₃ innings Friday in which he allowed a run on two hits with one walk.
Of the 10 outs he recorded, six came from strikeouts.
Of those six strikeouts, he used four different pitches — slider, sweeper, sinker and a changeup he finally feels as if he found — to sit the Phillies batter down.
“It was the one that I was looking for — I got it,” Carrasco said of his changeup. “I’ve been working in the bullpens and a couple games, and I just got it today.”
With his latest discovery, the veteran has allowed three earned runs in 11 spring innings (2.45 ERA) and made a solid case to break camp with the team with under two weeks remaining until Opening Day.
“It’s looked good,” manager Aaron Boone said of Carrasco’s stuff after a 6-5 win over the Phillies at Steinbrenner Field. “It’s looked consistently good.”
With the Mets and Guardians the past two seasons, the veteran has pitched to a 6.18 ERA in 41 starts.
His four-seam velocity has ticked up in camp, though, and the Yankees are seeing a righty they hope can eat innings in the wake of the injuries to Gerrit Cole and Luis Gil.
Carrasco’s main competition is Warren, who will start Saturday and who owns a 1.54 ERA with 12 strikeouts in 11 ²/₃ innings this spring.
The 37-year-old Carrasco has an opt-out in his contract, while Warren, a prospect, could be optioned to the minors.
Boone said the Yankees “are not there yet” on a fifth starter decision.
“I feel like a lot of guys to this point [are] forcing us hopefully into some tough decisions,” Boone said.
The Yankees still do not have any rough timetable for when Giancarlo Stanton will play again — or even swing again — but there is a sign of progress with the slugger: He is back with the team.
Stanton returned from New York, where he received his third round of PRP shots on Monday, and is with his teammates and trainers.
He remains out indefinitely with injuries to both elbows that he has said are “severe” and have kept him from taking hacks with a bat.
The Post’s Jon Heyman reported Thursday that Stanton also is battling a calf issue, which Boone confirmed but attempted to minimize.
“That’s kind of minor in comparison,” Boone said. “It’s about the elbows. But yeah, he’s got a little calf thing that’s going on.”
The hope has been that the third round of injections into Stanton’s elbows would speed up the healing to a point he can play, even if some pain remains.
Tangible signs of healing are not apparent, but on Friday Stanton’s presence counted as progress.
“I think he’s moving the needle,” Boone said. “Hopefully there’s some little things that he can start to introduce over the next couple weeks, but we’ll see.”
Joe Torre joined Yankees camp and received a loud round of applause as he brought out the team’s lineup card.
Bringing out the card for the Phillies was manager Rob Thomson, who had served as a coach on Torre’s staff.
Boone on former Yankees reliever Clay Holmes getting the Opening Day start for the Mets: “It sounds like he’s done a great job over there. Honestly, not surprising to me. He’s got great aptitude, great pro, the way he works. The biggest challenge will be the volume and making the 30-plus starts, but good for him.”
Since Austin Wells got his first look at leadoff on Feb. 28, he has been atop the lineup in all eight games in which he has played.
Wells was out of the lineup Friday, when Jazz Chisholm Jr. slid up to No. 1. Boone said he is still “toying” with the spot and said he still could try a different option against an opposing lefty pitcher.
Oswaldo Cabrera, who was scratched with an illness Thursday, was back with the team and feeling better.
