Mets' Max Kranick: Activated, optioned to Triple-A
Rotowire
The Mets reinstated Kranick (hamstring) from the 15-day injured list and optioned him to Triple-A Syracuse on Tuesday, Tim Healey of Newsday reports.
Kranick has been on the injured list since the start of the season due to a Grade 2 left hamstring strain he suffered during spring training. He made four total rehab appearances between the Mets' Single-A and Double-A affiliates, allowing five earned runs across 7.2 innings, and he'll now move up to Triple-A as he comes off the IL. The 26-year-old right-hander owns a 5.56 ERA across 43.2 big-league innings and hasn't pitched in the majors since 2022.
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Mets' Max Kranick: Starts rehab assignment
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Kranick (hamstring) began a rehab assignment with Low-A St. Lucie on Sunday.
Kranick wasn't able to get through his scheduled inning of work, getting pulled after recording two outs following two hits and a walk. How many more rehab appearances he requires figures to depend on whether the Mets plan to stretch him out as a starter. Kranick also has options remaining, so he's not a given to join the big club once activated.
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Mets' Max Kranick: Heads to IL
Rotowire
The Mets placed Kranick (hamstring) on the 15-day injured list Thursday.
Kranick is recovering from a Grade 2 left hamstring strain, which he sustained in his only Grapefruit League start back on Feb. 26. It's unclear where Kranick stands in his recovery at this point, but the injury cost him any chance he had of making a case for a back-end spot in the New York rotation. Kranick has a minor-league option remaining, so if the Mets want to have him stay stretched out as a starter, he could be sent to Triple-A Syracuse once he's reinstated from the IL.
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Mets' Max Kranick: Dealing with hamstring strain
Rotowire
Kranick was diagnosed with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain Thursday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.
Manager Carlos Mendoza said Kranick will be shut down for "a while" and will begin the regular season on the injured list. A clearer picture regarding Kranick's return timeline should emerge once he resumes throwing, but the 26-year-old right-hander is officially out of the race for an Opening Day rotation spot.
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Mets' Max Kranick: Makes early case for rotation spot
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Kranick struck out two batters over two perfect innings in Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Nationals.
The 26-year-old didn't pitch in the majors at all last season while still in the Pirates' organization, but after being claimed off waivers by the Mets in January, Kranick has a chance to crack the big-league rotation. Monday's outing came against a Washington squad that featured most of its likely Opening Day lineup, but the right-hander will need to keep pitching well this spring to emerge from a pack of arms that includes Tylor Megill, Jose Butto and Joey Lucchesi and seize the fifth starter role.
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Mets' Max Kranick: Getting look for fifth spot
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Kranick will compete for the fifth spot in the Mets' rotation after the injury to Kodai Senga (shoulder), Tim Healey of Newsday reports.
The Mets' preference is to not rush their top prospects, which leaves Kranick, Tylor Megill, Joey Lucchesi and Jose Butto battling for the right to fill in for Senga. Realistically, they might all be needed. Acquired via waivers last month, Kranick has held a 5.56 ERA and 36:22 K:BB across nine starts and two relief appearances at the big-league level.
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Pirates' Max Kranick: Makes room for Perez
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Kranick was designated for assignment Friday, Kevin Gorman of TribLive.com reports.
Kranick missed nearly all of the 2023 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, though he managed to turn in 16.1 innings at Triple-A Indianapolis to close the year. He maintained a solid 2.76 ERA and 0.81 WHIP with a 12:6 K:BB, but he'll have to work his way back up the depth chart with a team this spring. The move made room for Martin Perez on the Pirates' 40-man roster.
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Pirates' Max Kranick: Nearing rehab assignment
Rotowire
Kranick (elbow) is on track to begin a rehab assignment early next week with Low-A Bradenton, Justice delos Santos of MLB.com reports.
Kranick is over 14 months removed from Tommy John surgery and should be an option for Pittsburgh's pitching staff around the beginning of September if all goes well on the farm. It's not yet clear whether the Pirates plan to bring him back as a starter or reliever. They could use help in either area of the depth chart.
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Pirates' Max Kranick: Goes on IL
Rotowire
The Pirates placed Kranick (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Wednesday.
The move frees up a 40-man roster spot for Mark Mathias, whom the Pirates acquired from Texas on Wednesday. Kranick isn't expected to return until late in the season, if at all, as he recovers from June 2022 Tommy John surgery.
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Pirates' Max Kranick: Eyeing late April for mound work
Rotowire
Kranick (elbow) is expected to resume throwing off a mound in late April, Alex Stumpf of DKPittsburghSports.com reports.
Kranick, who underwent Tommy John surgery last June, has reported to the Pirates' spring camp and is soon expected to resume throwing five times a week. He'll gradually stretch out his throwing distance off flat ground before advancing to bullpen sessions at some point over the next three months, but it doesn't look as though he'll be on pace to pitch in games until August or September, in a best-case scenario.
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Pirates' Max Kranick: Undergoes Tommy John surgery
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Kranick underwent Tommy John surgery Saturday, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Kranick was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis on May 12, but he didn't make any appearances following his demotion due to his forearm/elbow injury. The right-hander will be forced to miss the remainder of the 2022 season and a significant portion of the 2023 campaign following Saturday's procedure. It's a discouraging development for the 24-year-old, who displayed increased velocity this year and posted a 2.70 ERA and 1.13 WHIP in 6.2 innings over three appearances (two starts) in Indianapolis.
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Pirates' Max Kranick: Dealing with arm injury
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Pirates general manager Ben Cherington said Sunday that Kranick may be shut down for "a little bit of time" with a right forearm/elbow injury, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Since being optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis following his three-inning relief appearance with Pittsburgh on May 11, Kranick hasn't pitched for the Pirates' top affiliate. He was placed on Indianapolis' 7-day injured list Tuesday, with Cherington later revealing the nature of Kranick's injury. The 24-year-old will most likely miss several weeks while recovering from the arm issue.
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Pirates' Max Kranick: Rejoins big-league roster
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The Pirates recalled Kranick from Triple-A Indianapolis on Tuesday.
Kranick was optioned to Indianapolis on Sunday after he was called up to serve as the Pirates' 27th man for the club's doubleheader Saturday with the Reds, but he'll be eligible to return to Pittsburgh just two days later due to outfielder Jake Marisnick (thumb) being placed on the 10-day injured list in a corresponding move. While he's with Pittsburgh, Kranick is expected to work out of the bullpen as a long-relief or multi-inning option.
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Pirates' Max Kranick: Works three innings
Rotowire
Kranick (forearm) allowed one unearned run on one hit and one walk while striking out two across three innings in a rehab start with Triple-A Indianapolis on Thursday.
This was Kranick's second rehab outing with Indianapolis and his longest appearance of the season as he works his way back from a forearm strain he sustained during the lockout. The 24-year-old made his major-league debut in 2021 but struggled to a 6.28 ERA with a 1.71 WHIP across 38.2 innings. He is likely to remain in Triple-A after being activated from the injured list, but given the current state of the Pirates' starting staff, Kranick could be called upon to enter the big-league rotation at some point this season.
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Pirates' Max Kranick: Rehab assignment shifts to Triple-A
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Kranick (forearm) will continue his rehab assignment at Triple-A Indianapolis on Friday, Alex Stumpf of DKPittsburghSports.com reports.
Kranick began his rehab assignment at Low-A Bradenton but hasn't appeared in a game since April 12. He threw a side session in Indianapolis on Tuesday and is expected to appear in a game for the Triple-A club Friday. It seems likely that he'll remain in Indianapolis when healthy since he's out of options.
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Pirates' Max Kranick: Completes bullpen session
Rotowire
Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk said Kranick (forearm) threw a side session at Triple-A Indianapolis on Tuesday, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Kranick made his first rehab start for Low-A Bradenton on April 12, but he may have suffered a minor setback coming out of that outing, as he hasn't pitched since. The fact that he hasn't been shut down from throwing can be viewed as a positive sign, and he looks poised to throw again this weekend. If all goes well, Kranick could make his second rehab start at some point during the upcoming week for Indianapolis.
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Pirates' Max Kranick: Starts up rehab assignment
Rotowire
Kranick (forearm) is scheduled to make a rehab start Tuesday for Low-A Bradenton.
Kranick didn't see any action during the Grapefruit League slate while he recovered from a right forearm strain, so Tuesday's outing will likely be the first of multiple rehab appearances for the 24-year-old before he's activated from the 10-day injured list. The time Kranick missed along with the fact that he has minor-league options remaining likely means that he'll be sent to Triple-A Indianapolis once reinstated, though the organization's plans for him could change if the big club has an opening in the rotation a few weeks down the road.
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Pirates' Max Kranick: Takes no-decision
Rotowire
Kranick allowed three earned runs on five hits and two walks with two strikeouts through four innings, taking a no-decision in Saturday's 8-6 win over the Reds.
Kranick struggled to subdue Cincinnati's bats; the big blow came in the fourth via a two-run shot by Eugenio Suarez that gave the Reds a 4-0 lead. Thankfully for Kranick, the Pirates rallied to spare him the loss. The right-hander finishes the season with an inflated 6.28 ERA and a suboptimal 32:19 K:BB. Even with these numbers, Kranick flashed upside in his first campaign (he was pulled after five perfect innings in his MLB debut against the Cardinals in June), and will squarely be in the fight for a roster spot next season.
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Pirates' Max Kranick: Fires five shutout innings
Rotowire
Kranick (2-3) earned the win Sunday versus Philadelphia with five shutout innings. He allowed four hits and three walks while striking out five.
The right-hander operated on thin margins, but he was able to preserve the one-run lead afforded by Cole Tucker's leadoff home run. Kranick hadn't kept runs off the board since his five perfect innings versus St. Louis on June 27. For the season, he's pitched to a 6.23 ERA, 1.70 WHIP and 30:17 K:BB across 34.2 innings at the big-league level. He lines up for one more start next weekend versus Cincinnati.
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Pirates' Max Kranick: Draws another start
Rotowire
Kranick will start Sunday's game in Philadelphia.
Kranick will make his second straight turn through the rotation after he struck out six and gave up three runs over five innings in a no-decision last weekend in Miami following his call-up from Triple-A Indianapolis. The rookie right-hander is sitting on a 7.28 ERA overall through his first seven big-league starts.
