Can Max Kranick make a case to crack the Mets' rotation?

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — When Max Kranick was claimed off waivers by the Mets in the beginning of January, it was a transaction that might have slipped under the radar.

Now, a month and a half later, following the news of Kodai Senga's move to the shelf with a moderate shoulder strain, the 26-year-old right-hander has moved up a rung on the team's depth chart to begin the season. And there's a little extra attention paid to the Scranton, Pa., native's outings.

With a rotation spot open, Kranick has an opportunity to prove himself this spring after making a return from Tommy John surgery last season. Against a representative lineup from the Nationals on Monday , Kranick needed just 18 pitches to toss two perfect innings, picking up two strikeouts at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches.

"This is a guy that before he got hurt, he had really good stuff," Carlos Mendoza said. "Last year when he got back from his injury, he was a little timid. It was really, really good today the way he attacked the zone and the conviction that he was throwing his pitches."

For Kranick, who pitched to a 2.76 ERA and 0.80 WHIP with Triple-A Indianapolis last season, the competition for the No. 5 spot did not cross his mind on Monday. His first start was about debuting a two-seam fastball that he has only been throwing for three weeks. And it appeared to get the desired results.

Before the surgery in June 2022, Kranick, who has 11 games of major-league experience with the Pirates, had leaned heavily on his four-seam fastball and slider. Now, he's hoping that the two-seam fastball can keep right-handed batters off-balance while sprinkling in a cutter to break the opposite direction. He also froze Joey Gallo on a curveball for the second out of the second inning.

"Obviously only going through an order once is a little bit different than two or three times," Kranick said. "I think it was encouraging that in the second inning they were looking two-seam, if I can kind of add that cutter back in and go the other direction, I think that’s gonna open up a lot of doors for me."

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Kranick joins a loaded field to fill the Mets' final rotation spot. He joins righties Tylor Megill and Jose Butto, who each threw two scoreless innings in their first outing, and left-hander Joey Lucchesi, who has yet to make his spring debut. Kranick's outing was the cleanest of the trio thus far.

Before the game, Mendoza said that the team continues to think of Kranick as a starter rather than a swing option out of the bullpen. The Mets manager did float Butto's name in the bullpen discussion prior to his outing on Sunday.

Luisangel Acuña debuts at second base

Luisangel Acuna might be at least a few months away from making his big-league debut, but the 21-year-old infielder has a solid mentor in Francisco Lindor this spring.

Acuna's locker in Port St. Lucie is next to the three-time Gold Glover. On Monday, the Mets got a look at what a future double-play duo could look like with Lindor at shortstop and Acuna occupying second base.

Acuna, a natural shortstop, said he's comfortable on the right side of the diamond. He made it look like an easy transition Monday, making a pair of plays in the middle of the diamond in the first two innings.

"This is a guy that’s got plenty of range, good arm and footwork and feel for the game," Mendoza said. "It should be an easy transition whenever he's moving from short to second."

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Mendoza said that the communication on the field and in between innings with Lindor can be invaluable for one of the Mets' top prospects. It's also important for Acuna to see the ball come off the bat from a different angle and make throws against the grain to both bases.

At the plate, Acuna knocked a pair of opposite-field singles, including the first against Nats starter Josiah Gray after falling behind in an 0-2 count, and finished 2-for-3 on the afternoon.

"That's what you want to see out of these young guys, the way they're taking pitches, how they're battling at-bats, the way they're competing and putting together some quality ABs," Mendoza said.

Trayce Thompson blasts grand slam

As he enters the eighth season of his major-league career, Trayce Thompson has never experienced the Grapefruit League. Despite playing for six different teams during that time, he's been used to preparing at the team's facility before road games and then making the drive to the next ballpark.

The 32-year-old outfielder called the move to the East Coast, a "refreshing one." And on Monday, his first Grapefruit League season got a little bit sweeter. In his second spring game, Thompson ripped a grand slam off Nationals left-hander Robert Garcia and added an RBI single to drive in five of the Mets' six runs in the win.

"It's obviously still February, so just trying to have good at-bats, try not to do too much," Thompson said of his approach before the grand slam. "I think it was maybe my sixth or seventh at-bat since I've been here. Just trying to keep it simple, trying to get the feel of being a baseball player and being a hitter again. I was just looking for a fastball and got one and was able to put a pretty good swing on it."

Thompson, the younger brother of Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson, is hoping to crack the Mets' Opening Day roster in a reserve outfield role. The Mets have big financial commitments to Brandon Nimmo, Harrison Bader and Starling Marte. Thompson, DJ Stewart and Tyrone Taylor all linger as potentials to fill in at a corner spot or as a designated hitter.

Thompson struggled in 72 games last season between the Dodgers and White Sox, slashing .163/.285/.294 with six home runs, 17 RBI and 77 strikeouts.

"I don't really think about that. I know it sounds cliche, but you really can only control what you can," Thompson said. "I just try to go out there and prepare to help the Mets win every day and when my name is called upon, try to go out there and do my best and help them win."

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NY Mets: Max Kranick enters rotation race, Luisangel Acuna at 2B