Pirates notebook: Scranton native Max Kranick promoted to start Sunday

With Mitch Keller in Triple-A, Steven Brault and Trevor Cahill still on the injured list and the schedule showing no off days until the All-Star break, the Pittsburgh Pirates’ starting pitching staff needed a lift.

The call went out to Indianapolis where Max Kranick, 23, was chosen to make his major league debut Sunday against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Born in Scranton and drafted by the Pirates in the 11th round in 2016 from Valley View High School, Kranick started this season in Double-A Altoona, where he was 1-0 with a 4.02 ERA and 16 strikeouts and only two walks in 15 2/3 innings.

Promoted to Triple-A in June, he has started four games for the Indians with a 1-2 record, 4.66 ERA, 20 strikeouts and seven walks in 19 1/3 innings.

Before the 2020 minor league season was canceled because of the covid-19 pandemic, Kranick was pitching in High-A Bradenton as recently as 2019. He was 6-7 with a 3.79 ERA for Bradenton.

“There are a ton of factors (in choosing Kranick), given we’ve talked about giving opportunities to people,” Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. “It fit in line with when he was starting (for Indianapolis) and, more importantly, we’ve talked during these times we’re going to get guys spot starts. And this was the good opportunity for us and for Max.”

Kranick hasn’t pitched since June 18 when he was the losing pitcher in a 10-2 loss to the Memphis Redbirds. In five innings, he gave up five runs, eight hits, including a home run, while striking out four and walking two.

Relief pitcher Geoff Hartlieb will be moved off the Pirates active roster to make room for Kranick.

Pirates sign veteran pitcher

The Pirates covet pitching depth more than almost anything else on their major and minor league rosters, and they continued that quest Saturday, signing veteran right-hander Shelby Miller, a source confirmed to the Tribune-Review.

Miller, who opted out of the 2020 season because of the covid-19 pandemic, is expected to report to Triple-A Indianapolis. Miller pitched in three games for the Chicago Cubs this season, recording a 31.50 ERA in two innings.

Miller, 30, was a 15-game winner for the St. Louis Cardinals in 2013 when he was third in the National League Rookie of the Year voting. He was an NL All-Star in 2015, recording a 3.02 ERA on a 6-17 record for the Atlanta Braves.

But Miller hasn’t been a regular starter since 2016.

A first-round draft choice of the Cardinals in 2009, Miller pitched in a total of only 28 games from 2017-2019 for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Texas Rangers.

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