Mets Prospect Nolan McLean Continues to Show Promise Amidst Challenging Season

Rookie right-hander Nolan McLean continues to provide a beacon of hope for the New York Mets' future, even as the team faces a disappointing season. McLean made his 30th start on Thursday night, delivering a quality performance in the Mets' 3-0 loss to the Phillies, a game marked by a frightening collision on the field.

Despite pitching six innings and allowing only one run, McLean (11-10) was credited with the loss. His ERA stands at a solid 3.18 for the season. The loss was compounded by a harrowing incident in the sixth inning where McLean inadvertently collided with first baseman Jared Young. The impact forced Young to exit the game on a stretcher and undergo hospital evaluation.

McLean's performance this season has been a bright spot, with no other rookie pitcher in the National League making more starts. He entered Thursday's game leading the league in innings pitched (166 2/3) and strikeouts (184). Interim manager Andy Green acknowledged McLean's durability and desire to pitch, noting his pushback when not initially scheduled for a start on short rest.

"We’re encouraged he could handle that workload and demonstrate that durability,'' Green said. "Frankly, he pushed back on me when we didn’t give him a start [Wednesday on four days’ rest]. He could do math. … I like the fact he pushed back on me and wanted to pitch. I also liked that he understood what we were solving for late in the season, and there wasn’t a reason to pitch on four days."

McLean is slated for one more start on the road before the season concludes, likely in Texas on Wednesday. Veteran pitcher Sean Manaea praised McLean's work ethic and approach, stating, "He’ll take the ball every chance he gets. He wants to go deep into games and eat up innings. And he puts in the work every day. For his first full season [in the majors], it’s pretty incredible."

Manaea also highlighted McLean's mental resilience. "No matter what the expectations were for him and his talent, you knew there would be ups and downs,'' Manaea said. "There were a lot more ups, but he also does a great job of not letting one outing get to him. If he has a bad one, he moves on and doesn’t let it snowball. To withstand all of that for the first time, that’s a big step."

The Mets' future rotation is also expected to feature pitchers like right-hander Christian Scott and left-hander Zac Thornton, but McLean is viewed as a pivotal piece. The team hopes that McLean's development and the emergence of young outfielders like Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing will help the Mets avoid a similar situation in future seasons.

Green also noted that McLean's participation in the World Baseball Classic before the season, where he pitched 7 2/3 innings, could benefit him in the long run. "He can concoct a scenario in his head that he’s ‘got to get to 220 innings because that’s what I want to do the rest of my career.’ You love that about him and the way he’s wired and the way he wants to compete."