ATLANTA — Dedniel Nuñez is back with the big league Mets for the second time this season. This time, the hope is that he throws more strikes.
The right-handed reliever was called up Thursday to take the place of Max Kranick on the roster after Kranick was placed on the 15-day injured list with a right elbow strain. The Mets don’t yet know the extent of the injury yet, but sent the reliever back to New York for imaging and expect to know by Friday when they open a three-game weekend series in Philadelphia against the Phillies.
Nuñez was an important part of the Mets’ bullpen last summer, but an elbow injury ended his season early and didn’t allow him to fully build up his pitch-count during spring training. As a multi-inning reliever who pitches in high-leverage spots, the Mets needed him to be able to get more than three outs.
But he wasn’t able to get many outs at all when he was called up in May. Nuñez made five appearances, but managed only 3 1/3 innings. He was removed from his first game after loading the bases before getting an out, walking all three hitters he faced and being charged with three earned runs. Nuñez walked six total hitters in those five appearances.
However, the Mets have received improved reports on Nuñez in recent weeks.
“Better, especially the strike-throwing ability and attacking hitters,” manager Carlos Mendoza said Thursday at Truist Park ahead of the series finale against the Atlanta Braves. “And that’s what he is — he’s a guy that, when he gets ahead, he’s able to use that slider and the secondary pitches. We felt like the past couple of outings he did that, so he’s getting another chance…
“We all know how important he was for the bullpen last year, and we’re hoping that we can unlock some of that at this level.”
A late-blooming rookie in 2024, Nuñez was 28 when he made his Major League debut. He had been in the Mets’ system since signing a minor league contract in October 2016, but had seemingly stalled out in the upper levels of the minor leagues. But then he started throwing strikes and throwing hard last season with Triple-A Syracuse, and the Mets gave him a shot.
He didn’t disappoint, going 2-0 with a 2.31 ERA in 25 appearances (35 innings).
Nuñez’s latest Triple-A stint allowed him the time necessary to build up to being able to throw about 25-30 pitches. He’s thrown 2.0 innings twice and 1 1/3 twice.
“We feel comfortable with him going 1+,” Mendoza said. “I think he did it a couple of weeks ago, where he threw 25 pitches and went 1 1/3. We’d be comfortable with him getting four outs if we needed to.”
Kranick complained of elbow soreness after throwing 2.0 innings against the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday. He received treatment in Atlanta and played catch Wednesday, throwing off a mound with trainers, but was still sore Thursday.
The Mets felt it best to place him on the injured list to get another arm in the bullpen. The concern level is relatively low at the moment, but Kranick had Tommy John surgery in 2022, so the Mets are exercising caution.
“Talking to him and talking to the trainers, he didn’t think this was something too serious,” Mendoza said. “But again, we’ve got to wait and see what the MRI shows.”
The Mets also made an additional pitching move, optioning right-hander Ty Adcock to Triple-A Syracuse after Wednesday night’s game, and recalling right-hander Justin Hagenman, who was expected to start Friday night against the Phillies, but the Mets will have to find another starter after using Hagenman out of the bullpen Thursday night.
Third baseman Brett Baty was also out of the lineup for the third straight game with groin soreness. Mendoza said he continues to improve, completing running drills — both downhill and laterally — Thursday, and taking ground balls and batting practice.
However, the Mets have already been playing down one bench bat with Baty unavailable these last two games. Should he need another few days to recover, the Mets will have to place him on the injured list.
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