Minor-league option aside, Max Kranick is making it awfully difficult for the New York Mets to consider anyone else for the final Opening Day roster spot in the bullpen.
The right-hander has been a revelation, of sorts, as a reliever this spring. In seven innings of work, he has not allowed a single run nor walked a single batter, striking out eight and yielding just four hits in the process.
He went 1.1 innings against the Miami Marlins on Friday night and struck out three. His fastball maxed out at just a hair under 98 mph with a slider that has provided some serious swing-and-miss-worthy stuff.
“He’s been pretty good,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “[Friday] was another good outing. He continues to attack the strike zone. The velo is there. His slider is there, and he’s on the attack. He’s putting himself in a really good position here.”
It has him on the cusp of his first MLB appearance since 2022 after he needed Tommy John surgery while with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He was signed by the Mets last season but was outrighted off the 40-man roster by May while he battled hamstring issues. He finished the season in Triple-A.
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Left fielder Brandon Nimmo has shut down for a few more days due to nagging right knee discomfort that resulted in a gel injection. It is as good of a scenario as possible, considering he underwent an MRI last week, which showed no structural damage.
The veteran lefty bat has had two plate appearances during spring training but will begin ramping back up in a hurry with Opening Day less than three weeks away.
“We’re still shooting for Opening Day,” Mendoza said. “We feel like we have enough time here. He is going to get plenty of at-bats, so we just decided to get it done right away.”
