Pirates notebook: Derek Shelton names Max Kranick to start 2nd game of Saturday doubleheader

Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton said Friday night that Max Kranick will pitch the second game of the doubleheader Saturday against the New York Mets. He will be the 27th man (allowed by MLB rule for a doubleheader), and the Pirates won’t need to delete another player from the active roster.

“The fact that we are playing a doubleheader and you can facilitate that with the 27th man is helpful,” Shelton said.

Kranick pitched five perfect innings in his major-league debut June 27 in a 7-2 victory against the St. Louis Cardinals. He was sent back to Triple-A Indianapolis the next day.

In his only start for Indianapolis since his demotion from the Pirates, Kranick lasted three innings last Saturday in a 9-7 loss to the Iowa Cubs. He surrendered five runs, six hits, one walk and one homer while striking out one batter. Kranick has been with the Pirates since Thursday as Shelton maintains the six-man rotation the team wanted to use at least until the All-Star break.

Mets claim Hartlieb

The New York Mets claimed former Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Geoff Hartlieb off waivers Friday and sent him to Triple-A Syracuse. He had been designated for assignment by the Pirates last Saturday.

Before spending parts of the past three seasons with the Pirates, Hartlieb, 27, was selected by the Mets in the 37th round of the MLB Draft in 2015 from Lindenwood (Mo.) University. He stayed in school and was drafted by the Pirates in the 29th round the next year.

He made his major-league debut with the Pirates in 2019, appearing in 29 games — all in relief — and compiling a 9.00 ERA. Hartlieb started the shortened 2020 season in the Pirates’ alternate training site in Altoona before he was recalled July 28 as an injury replacement for relievers Kyle Crick and Clay Holmes.

Changes in his pitch repertoire and arm mechanics helped him finish the season with a 1-0 record and 3.63 ERA in 21 games and 22¹⁄₃ innings.

Hartlieb spent most of his time this season in Triple-A Indianapolis. In four games and 4²⁄₃ innings with the Pirates, he had a 7.71 ERA.

The Pirates designated Hartlieb for assignment after they acquired first baseman John Nogowski from the St. Louis Cardinals.

Credit the rain

Shelton’s attempt to give All-Stars Bryan Reynolds and Adam Frazier a day off was helped by the postponement Thursday. Reynolds would not have started Thursday, but he was in the lineup Friday.

“(The postponement) was a nice blow for our bullpen and our players,” Shelton said. “You never really want to have a rainout because it gives you a doubleheader, but with where we were at and as hard as we had run, getting an off day like that was beneficial to us.”

The Pirates are nearing the end of a stretch of 20 games in 20 days.

Injury update

The Pirates placed right-handed pitcher Duane Underwood Jr. on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to Thursday) with right side discomfort. Left-handed pitcher Austin Davis was recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis.

Underwood pitched Wednesday in th 14-3 loss to the Atlanta Braves, allowing eight hits and seven runs in the eighth inning.

“We went out and checked on him. He reassured us he was OK,” Shelton said. “After he came out of the game, he started to articulate where he was having his discomfort. When he came in (Thursday), it wasn’t any better.”

Davis has appeared in two games for the Pirates this season, throwing two scoreless, hitless innings.

Also, left-handed starter Steven Brault, who has been on the injured list all season with a left lat strain, is expected to begin a rehab assignment Sunday with Single-A Bradenton.

Brault is one of 11 Pirates (six pitchers, five position players) on the injured list.

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