Quick glance:
Nationals roster moves: Signed RHP Shawn Dubin (Triple-A Rochester) and signing RHP Max Kranick, adding pitching help.
Max Kranick update: The 28-year-old right-hander is recovering from July 2025 flexor tendon surgery; previously non-tendered by the Mets, with a history that includes 2022 Tommy John surgery.
Shawn Dubin profile: 29-year-old righty adds upper-level depth after posting a 3.38 ERA in 7 appearances with the Orioles in 2025; later spent time with the Diamondbacks before becoming a free agent.
Nationals pitching struggles: Washington Nationals enters May with a 5.11 team ERA (29th in MLB); bullpen also lagging with a 4.90 ERA (23rd), highlighting need for reinforcements.
The Washington Nationals continued to try to reshape their roster on Friday morning by signing right-handed pitcher Shawn Dubin to a minor league contract, trading infielder Zack Short to the Detroit Tigers, and reportedly agreeing to a deal with right-hander Max Kranick.
According to The Athletic’s Will Sammon, the Nationals have agreed to a contract with Max Kranick, pending a physical. The 28-year-old right-hander previously pitched in the Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Mets organizations and is working his way back from flexor tendon surgery suffered in July 2025.
Kranick, was non-tendered by the Mets last November after missing time due to the injury. Durability has been a recurring challenge throughout his career, including Tommy John surgery in June 2022 that sidelined him for most of the 2023 season.
Despite those setbacks, Kranick has shown flashes of effectiveness at the major league level. During the 2025 season, he posted a 3.65 ERA across 37.0 innings before his injury. While his 16.9% strikeout rate fell below the MLB average (22.3%), he demonstrated strong control with a 3.4% walk rate, profiling as a pitcher who limits free passes rather than relying on high strikeout totals.
The Washington Nationals’ pitching staff has struggled significantly in 2026. Entering May, Washington owns a 5.11 team ERA, ranking 29th in Major League Baseball. While much of the damage has come from the starting rotation, the bullpen has also underperformed, posting a 4.90 ERA that ranks 23rd in the league.
Adding Kranick represents a low-risk depth move as the Nationals look to stabilize their pitching staff, though he is not expected to contribute immediately. After throwing for teams in January, Kranick was targeting a return in the second half of the 2026 season. He will likely need a full throwing progression followed by a minor league rehab assignment before being activated.
Kranick has just over three years of MLB service time (3.011), giving the Nationals potential team control through the 2029 season if he returns and performs well. However, he is out of minor league options, meaning he must remain on the active roster or pass through waivers once he is added.
In addition to the reported Kranick deal, Washington signed right-hander Shawn Dubin as a Minor League free agent. Dubin, 29, is expected to report to Triple-A Rochester, providing experienced pitching depth at the upper levels of the organization. He most recently appeared in the Baltimore Orioles organization during the 2025 season after being claimed off waivers on August 26, posting a 3.38 ERA with seven strikeouts over eight innings in seven appearances.
Dubin was outrighted off Baltimore’s 40-man roster in November 2025 and elected free agency. He later signed a minor league deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks on December 19, 2025, before being released on April 23, 2026.
In a corresponding move, the Washington Nationals also traded infielder Zack Short to the Detroit Tigers. Short, who provided infield depth for Washington, returns to a familiar organization where he previously spent time at the major league level.