ATLANTA — Dedniel Nuñez is again with the massive league Mets for the second time this season. This time, the hope is that he throws extra strikes.
The fitting-handed reliever was referred to as up Thursday to take the place of Max Kranick on the roster after Kranick was positioned on the 15-day injured listing with a proper elbow pressure. The Mets don’t but know the extent of the damage but, however despatched the reliever again to New York for imaging and anticipate to know by Friday once they open a three-game weekend sequence in Philadelphia in opposition to the Phillies.
Nuñez was an necessary a part of the Mets’ bullpen final summer season, however an elbow damage ended his season early and didn’t permit him to completely construct up his pitch-count throughout spring coaching. As a multi-inning reliever who pitches in high-leverage spots, the Mets wanted him to have the ability to get greater than three outs.
However he wasn’t in a position to get many outs in any respect when he was referred to as up in Could. Nuñez made 5 appearances, however managed solely 3 1/3 innings. He was faraway from his first sport after loading the bases earlier than getting an out, strolling all three hitters he confronted and being charged with three earned runs. Nuñez walked six whole hitters in these 5 appearances.
Nonetheless, the Mets have obtained improved stories on Nuñez in latest weeks.
“Better, especially the strike-throwing ability and attacking hitters,” supervisor Carlos Mendoza mentioned Thursday at Truist Park forward of the sequence finale in opposition to the Atlanta Braves. “And that’s what he’s — he’s a man that, when he will get forward, he’s in a position to make use of that slider and the secondary pitches. We felt just like the previous couple of outings he did that, so he’s getting one other likelihood…
“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 Main League debut. He had been within the Mets’ system since signing a minor league contract in October 2016, however had seemingly stalled out within the higher ranges of the minor leagues. However then he began throwing strikes and throwing arduous final 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 newest Triple-A stint allowed him the time essential to construct as much as with the ability 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 mentioned. “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 in opposition to the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday. He obtained therapy in Atlanta and performed catch Wednesday, throwing off a mound with trainers, however was nonetheless sore Thursday.
The Mets felt it greatest to put him on the injured listing to get one other arm within the bullpen. The concern stage is comparatively low in the mean time, however Kranick had Tommy John surgical procedure in 2022, so the Mets are exercising warning.
“Talking to him and talking to the trainers, he didn’t think this was something too serious,” Mendoza mentioned. “But again, we’ve got to wait and see what the MRI shows.”
The Mets additionally made an extra pitching transfer, optioning right-hander Ty Adcock to Triple-A Syracuse after Wednesday night time’s sport, and recalling right-hander Justin Hagenman, who was anticipated to start out Friday night time in opposition to the Phillies, however the Mets should discover one other starter after utilizing Hagenman out of the bullpen Thursday night time.
Third baseman Brett Baty was additionally out of the lineup for the third straight sport with groin soreness. Mendoza mentioned he continues to enhance, finishing working drills — each downhill and laterally — Thursday, and taking floor balls and batting apply.
Nonetheless, the Mets have already been taking part in down one bench bat with Baty unavailable these final two video games. Ought to he want one other few days to recuperate, the Mets should place him on the injured listing.
Initially Printed: June 19, 2025 at 9:41 PM EDT
