Mets Manager Carlos Mendoza Discusses Núñez's Progress, McNeil's Center Field Debut, and Kranick's Bullpen Success

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza addressed several topics before Friday night's game against the Cardinals, including updates on Dedniel Núñez, Jeff McNeil, and Max Kranick.

Núñez Close to Return? Dedniel Núñez is progressing in his recovery and could be nearing a return to the Mets bullpen. The hard-throwing right-hander threw a scoreless inning for Triple-A Syracuse on Friday, striking out two while working around two one-out walks. Núñez has now posted three consecutive scoreless outings. Mendoza praised Núñez’s work ethic, stating, “He continues to do whatever we ask him to do. Now it’s just a matter of when we call him up." Núñez, who was optioned to Syracuse at the end of spring training to ramp up after a forearm injury, posted a strong 2.31 ERA in 25 appearances last season. His return would provide another boost to an already stellar Mets bullpen.

McNeil Shines in Center Field Jeff McNeil made his debut in center field on Friday night for Single-A St. Lucie, impressing with a sliding catch to open the game. Mendoza shared positive feedback from the reports, saying, “Overall, I thought he played well.” McNeil is nearing a return from the injured list, and while it remains uncertain whether he’ll see time in center with the Mets, he’s being considered alongside Brandon Nimmo and Tyrone Taylor. With McNeil’s return on the horizon, the Mets may need to make a tough decision about which of the young players, Luisangel Acuña or Brett Baty, will be sent down. Mendoza acknowledged the difficulty of the decision, saying, “It’s going to be a very difficult decision, whether we decide to send one of them or we decide to keep both here because they’re playing well.”

Kranick Impresses Out of the Bullpen Max Kranick, who didn’t pitch for the Mets last season, has quickly become a valuable asset out of the bullpen this year. The right-hander has allowed just two earned runs in seven appearances, striking out seven. Mendoza praised Kranick’s work ethic and competitiveness, saying, “He’s a great kid, a competitor, wants to win.” Kranick has been asked to throw multiple innings on several occasions and has shown impressive resilience. Mendoza noted, “The fact that he's telling me, ‘I’m ready if you need me to go,’ has been the biggest thing that I’ve learned from him.” The Mets will continue to monitor Kranick’s workload due to past injury concerns, but so far, Mendoza has been impressed by his reliability.

The Mets are making strides with key players nearing return, and decisions on roster moves will soon be looming.

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