The Nationals have officially announced the signing of RHP Max Kranick to a one-year deal with an option for 2027, and have designated RHP Jackson Rutledge for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster.
Kranick has been placed on the 15-day injured list – he is still recovering from flexor tendon surgery last July – so no reciprocal move was needed on the 26-man roster.
Per reports, the deal is worth a pro-rated portion of $800,000 for 2026, with the option value to be the greater of $850K or $50,000 above the league minimum salary (currently $780,000), for 2027.
Kranick, 28, was non-tendered by the Mets in November after missing the second half of the season with the flexor injury. He had a 3.65 ERA in 37 relief innings prior to that, and has a 4.69 ERA in 80 2/3 career innings over parts of three MLB seasons with the Mets and Pirates.
He threw for teams in January and was said to be looking at a second-half return, so it could be a couple months or more before he is ready to impact the MLB roster – but, the Nationals entered the week 29th in MLB with a 5.11 team ERA and 23rd with a 4.90 bullpen ERA, and while Kranick is out of options, his service time level makes him potentially controllable in arbitration through 2029.
Rutledge, 27, was the No. 17 overall pick in 2019 and made his MLB debut as a starter in 2023, but was moved to the bullpen in 2025. He had a 5.77 ERA in 63 games in middle relief (73 1/3 innings) and has spent most of this year in Triple-A – allowing seven runs in 1 1/3 innings in his only MLB outing.
