Max Kranick watched the Subway Series on TV every year growing up. Now, the Mets reliever finally gets to be a part of one.
“As a kid, that was always like the series that you were excited to watch,” Kranick told the Daily News. “I’m looking forward to going over there, I’ve never even been to Yankee Stadium, but I’ve heard nothing but great things. So yeah, I’m excited.”
A lifelong Mets fan who grew up in the Scranton area, Kranick has become one of the best stories of the season for the team. Back in the big leagues for the first time since Tommy John surgery took him out of action in 2022, Kranick made the Opening Day roster and quickly turned into one of the Mets’ go-to relievers. He’s thrown 24 2/3 innings, one shy of the team lead held by right-hander Huascar Brazobán. Kranick and Brazobán have both added a ton of versatility to the bullpen, being used to throw multiple innings, high-leverage innings and being called in to put out fires.
Kranick was brought in with the bases loaded in his first major league appearance this season. It wouldn’t be the last time he had to get the Mets out of a jam, and he didn’t allow an inherited runner to score until about the seventh time he faced one. While the Mets wanted to find a soft spot to work him in, they had no choice but throw him right into the action.
It was exactly what Kranick needed to feel the speed of a big league game again and the adrenaline that comes on a big league mound. After getting the Mets out of the bases-load situation in Houston during the season-opening series, he realized he was ready to be back pitching at this level.
“I think confidence-wise, after that one I looked to myself and thought, ‘Alright, I can get out anything,’” Kranick said. “I think I just come to work every day, trying to get a little bit better in certain areas.”
The Mets took notice. Kranick went seven outings before allowing an earned run, and though he’s had some bumps in the road, the staff is happy with how he’s bounced back after giving up runs.
“How are you going to handle those you know, how are you going to bounce back?” said manager Carlos Mendoza. “And I think he has. He gave up a couple [runs] a few outings ago, and it was good to see him the next night bouncing back and responding. I think for me, that’s the better sign. There is so much adjusting of the roles and some of the situations that we’ve thrown him in, but he’s handled adversity. He continues to show that he’s capable of it.”
Kranick’s strength is strike-throwing. For the most part, he goes right at hitters, but the few times he’s struggled, it’s because he was too concerned with working the corners.
His velocity has been a welcome addition to a bullpen that didn’t have a lot of hard throwers over the last few seasons, and he likes how his stuff is playing. Kranick is hoping to expand the zone a bit more going forward and miss more bats, but after going 3-1 with three holds and a 3.65 ERA to start the season, he’s pleased with how he’s started.
“He’s not trying to do too much,” said right-hander Ryne Stanek. “He’s not trying to punch out the world, he’s trying to go out there and execute his game plan and and when you go out there and your focus is on executing like, good things tend to follow, instead of like, chasing things that you can’t control, he’s chasing things you can. I think that’s a really good mindset to be in.”
A year ago, he was a starter in Triple-A. Two years ago, he was rehabbing from Tommy John surgery with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Now, he’s at Yankee Stadium to play in the Subway Series.
“My confidence has grown a lot,” he said. “I would say confidence is probably the most important thing. Like, I truly believe my stuff plays as long as I’m in the zone and executing. It’s just a matter of believing that, and I feel like I really do right now. I’m in a good place, and just continue to ride that wave, and I guess I’m always trying to get a little bit better…
“That chase never ends.”
