With Pirates in need of starter for Saturday doubleheader, Max Kranick joins team in NYC

The Pittsburgh Pirates need a starter and Max Kranick is in New York City with the team.

Could those two facts come together and equal a second-major league start for Kranick?

The Pirates are determined to maintain their six-man rotation through their current stretch of 20 games in 20 days. They have an opening for a starter Saturday in the second game of a doubleheader that was scheduled after Thursday’s game at Citi Field against the New York Mets was rained out.

Kranick, who made baseball history June 27 by throwing five perfect innings in his major league debut only to be optioned back to Triple-A Indianapolis a day later, is in line to fill that sixth-man role. He hasn’t pitched since Saturday.

So far, the Pirates have used Kranick and Cody Ponce as their sixth starter.

Pitchers optioned to the minors aren’t eligible for recall for 15 days, unless he is used as the 27th man in a doubleheader. If the Pirates choose to make Kranick the 27th man and give him the start, they would not need to open a roster spot.

If he does pitch, Kranick, a Scranton native, should have a large contingent of family and friends making the two-hour drive to Queens.

Kranick needed only 50 pitches (36 strikes) to get through five innings in a 7-2 victory against the St. Louis Cardinals. He allowed no hits and no walks — 15 batters up, 15 batters down.

But the game was interrupted by rain, and when it resumed, Pirates manager Derek Shelton opted to go to his bullpen.

“Definitely a day I’ll remember forever,” Kranick said.

Kranick, 23, became the fourth Pirates pitcher since 2010 to be perfect through five innings, joining A.J. Burnett, Nick Kingham and Jeff Locke. He also is the first major leaguer since 1893 with a perfect completed start of at least five innings in his MLB debut. Kingham pitched 6⅔ perfect innings in his debut in 2018, but he allowed a single in the seventh.

Kranick has not achieved the same level of success in Triple-A, compiling a season-long 1-2 record, 6.04 ERA and 1.522 WHIP while allowing 26 hits in 22⅓ innings and striking out 21. In his only start since his demotion from the Pirates, Kranick lasted only three innings Saturday in a 9-7 Indianapolis loss to the Iowa Cubs. He surrendered five runs, six hits, one walk and one homer while striking out one batter.

J.T. Brubaker, who was scheduled to pitch Thursday, will be the Pirates’ starter Friday. Tyler Anderson and Chase De Jong will stay on schedule, with Anderson working the first game of the doubleheader and De Jong pitching Sunday.