Mets' starting pitching depth suffers another blow with Max Kranick injury
Mets pitcher Max Kranick in spring training against the Nationals. Credit: Newsday/Alejandra Villa Loarca
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The Mets took another shot to their starting pitcher depth this week, with righthander Max Kranick suffering a left hamstring strain that will cost him the beginning of the season.
Kranick had been part of the competition for the open spot in the rotation but now will begin the season on the injured list, manager Carlos Mendoza said Thursday.
He joins Kodai Senga (strained right shoulder) as sidelined Mets starters. Tylor Megill, Joey Lucchesi and Jose Butto still can replace Senga.
“We’ve been talking about our depth since we showed up in camp,” Mendoza said. “I see it as an opportunity for the other guys. We like our depth. We’ll continue to like our depth.”
Kranick tossed two scoreless innings on Monday but felt sore the next day. An MRI revealed the Grade 2 strain.
Mendoza said Kranick will be shut down for seven to 10 days and that it will be several weeks “before we see him on a mound again fully built up.”
Kranick, 26 — who joined the Mets, his favorite team growing up, as the result of a waiver claim in the offseason — recently said this was his first healthy spring training since 2021. He had Tommy John surgery in 2022.
“I feel for the kid,” Mendoza said. “After battling Tommy John and working really hard to get back on the mound, the two innings we saw the other day, we were encouraged with his velo. He was up to 96 and was feeling pretty well. Then the next day, showed up and now it’s a hamstring.”
On the mound
Jose Quintana walked three batters and failed to finish his designated two innings in a 2-1 exhibition loss to the Astros on Thursday . . . Tylor Megill punctuated his three scoreless innings with four strikeouts by fanning Jose Altuve (splitter) and Yordan Alvarez.
Pitching plans
Luis Severino will make his spring-training debut Friday against the Cardinals.
Fujinami watch
Reliever Shintaro Fujinami will return to Mets camp this weekend after tending to a personal matter in Japan, ending his approximately weeklong absence, Mendoza said. Fujinami also resolved his visa issue.
Tim Healey is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. Born on Long Island and raised in Connecticut, Tim has previously worked for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, the Boston Globe and MLB.com. He is also the author of “Hometown Hardball,” a book about minor league baseball in the northeast.
