Kranick’s Rehab Surge Could Lift Nats | Washington Nationals News

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Max Kranick, a pitcher the Nats picked up back in May, is making some serious noise on his rehab assignment. He's recovering from flexor tendon surgery, and word is, his stuff is looking sharp again, almost like it was last season. He's been throwing in Harris Bird, and it sounds like the velocity and movement are back where they need to be. Last year, Kranick showed flashes of brilliance for the Mets, throwing heat with his fastball around 96 miles per hour, backed by a nasty slider and a solid curve ball. He put up a 3.65 earned run average in 37 innings out of the bullpen. If the Nats can get that version of him, it'd be a huge lift for their pitching staff. What's really impressive is his command. After a year off for elbow surgery, he hasn't walked a single batter in over five innings across four rehab outings.
That kind of control, especially after surgery, shows he's locked in and could be ready for the big leagues sooner rather than later. He's also getting some strikeouts, racking up six in those appearances, though most were against lower level hitters.
His earned run average is sitting at 3.18 overall on the rehab, which is solid. The next step for him is reportedly throwing on back-to-back days, which is a good sign. With the Nats looking to make a playoff push, their bullpen needs all the help it can get. Kranick might not be the sole answer, but he can definitely be a piece of the puzzle. It'll be interesting to see how he contributes down the stretch.