McLean (5-1) allowed five runs on five hits and two walks while striking out 11 over 5.1 innings to earn the win Thursday over the Cubs.
This was the worst of McLean's eight major-league outings so far, but he was able to snap a three-start winless stretch. Seiya Suzuki had two home runs and Dansby Swanson also went yard, with those three long balls accounting for all of the season-high five runs on McLean's line in his first start allowing multiple homers. The 11 strikeouts also represented a season high for a single game across all levels. The rookie right-hander ends the regular season with a 2.06 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 57:16 K:BB through 48 innings over eight starts in the majors. Should the Mets qualify for the last National League wild-card spot, McLean is projected to take the hill for a start.
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Mets' Nolan McLean: Fans six in no-decision
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McLean didn't factor into the decision in Saturday's 5-3 extra-innings loss to the Nationals, allowing three runs (one earned) on four hits and two walks over five innings. He struck out six.
Errors by Juan Soto and Pete Alonso in the second inning helped put Mclean in a 3-0 hole before he was lifted after 92 pitches (59 strikes), but the Mets' offense got him off the hook for the loss before the game slipped away in the 11th. The rookie right-hander has yet to give up more than two earned runs in a big-league start, and through his first 42.2 innings he sports a 1.27 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 46:14 K:BB. Per Tim Britton of the Athletic, McLean lines up to make his final start of the regular season Thursday on the road against the Cubs, which would set him up to pitch in Game 1 of the playoffs, but first the Mets have to get there -- they're just one game up on the Reds for the final wild-card spot in the NL, with the Diamondbacks two games back.
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Mets' Nolan McLean: Fans seven in no-decision
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McLean did not factor in the decision during Sunday's extra-inning win over Texas. He allowed five hits and two walks while striking out seven over six scoreless innings.
McLean worked around a few light threats to deliver another stellar performance. He's given up two or fewer runs in each of his first six career MLB outings, with four of those being quality starts. The only criticism at the moment would be the eight walks he's issued over his last 17.1 frames. McLean now owns a terrific 1.19 ERA with a 40:12 K:BB through 37.2 innings. He's lined up for a nice home matchup against Washington next weekend.
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Mets' Nolan McLean: Remains undefeated
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McLean (4-0) picked up the win in Tuesday's 12-5 victory over the Tigers, allowing two runs on three hits and three walks over six innings. He struck out seven.
The rookie right-hander wasn't quite as sharp as he'd been over his last two starts, when he dazzled with a 13:0 K:BB over 15 innings, but McLean got stronger as the game went on and retired the final 14 batters he faced. He's won all four of his big-league starts, posting a 1.37 ERA, 0.76 WHIP and 28:7 K:BB through 26.1 frames and injecting serious life into the Mets' playoff hopes. The team's rotation is potentially in flux, but McLean likely lines up to make his next trip to the mound on the road early next week in a huge NL East clash with the Phillies.
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Mets' Nolan McLean: Shines with eight shutout innings
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McLean (3-0) notched the win Wednesday against the Phillies, allowing four hits and no walks in eight scoreless innings. He struck out six.
McLean continued his impressive start to his major-league career, having now spun at least 5.1 innings while allowing two runs or fewer in each of his first three outings. The rookie right-hander retired 15 in a row at one point Wednesday, and he also registered a strong 13 whiffs while keeping a formidable Phillies lineup at bay. McLean has a sublime 0.89 ERA, 0.69 WHIP and 21:4 K:BB over his first 20.1 big-league frames, and he'll be trying to record his fourth straight win in a difficult spot against the first-place Tigers his next time out.
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Mets' Nolan McLean: Wins in first career start
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McLean earned the win in his MLB debut in Saturday's 3-1 victory over the Mariners, allowing two hits and four walks while striking out eight over 5.1 scoreless innings.
McLean's first big-league start went about as well as the Mets could have hoped, as he fired 55 of 91 pitches for strikes while generating 11 whiffs and limiting the Mariners to four hard-hit balls. Per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, McLean joined Matt Harvey as the only Mets pitchers to record eight strikeouts and a win in a scoreless debut. According to Ben Krimmel of SNY.tv, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza all but confirmed that the 24-year-old righty will get another turn through the rotation, which will likely fall next weekend in Atlanta. McLean's standing in the rotation beyond that may hinge on how he performs, as Tylor Megill (elbow) is in the midst of a rehab assignment and could displace McLean as the club's fifth starter once he's activated from the injured list.
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Mets' Nolan McLean: Officially called up for start
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The Mets selected McLean's contract from Triple-A Syracuse ahead of Saturday's game against Seattle.
As expected, McLean will make his MLB debut Saturday, toeing the rubber as the Mets' starting pitcher. The 23-year-old has logged a 2.99 ERA and 97:38 K:BB in 87.1 innings for Syracuse this season. He's posted a 1.96 ERA and 26:9 K:BB across 23 innings spanning his last four appearances.
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Mets' Nolan McLean: Could make MLB debut in bullpen
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McLean could be an option for the Mets' bullpen if the team doesn't trade for any high-leverage relievers at the deadline, Will Sammon of The Athletic reports.
General manager David Stearns has gone this route in the past during his time in Milwaukee, breaking in future aces Brandon Woodruff, Corbin Burnes and Freddy Peralta in relief roles. The Mets are actively working to acquire established bullpen arms however, and using a prospect like McLean in high-leverage spots during a playoff push would appear to be Plan B. McLean is having a breakout campaign in the high minors, posting a combined 2.78 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 101:41 K:BB over 90.2 innings between Double-A and Triple-A.
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Mets' Nolan McLean: Racking up Ks at Syracuse
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McLean struck out 10 while giving up three hits and three walks over six scoreless innings for Triple-A Syracuse on Wednesday.
It's the second straight start with double-digit strikeouts for the 23-year-old right-hander, who is making a loud statement that he's ready for the next challenge. Over his last nine Triple-A outings, McLean has delivered a 2.59 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 54:20 K:BB through 48.2 innings. The Mets' big-league rotation is about to get significant reinforcements with both Kodai Senga (hamstring) and Sean Manaea (elbow/oblique) set to come off the IL right before the All-Star break, but McLean could make his MLB debut in the second half if injuries create further opportunities.
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Mets' Nolan McLean: Dazzles in Triple-A debut
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McLean threw seven scoreless innings for Triple-A Syracuse on Friday, giving up seven hits without walking a batter and striking out seven.
Making his first start for Syracuse since a promotion from Double-A, McLean put together his best performance of the season, firing 57 of 78 pitches for strikes and only allowing one runner to even get past second base. The 23-year-old right-hander isn't yet on the 40-man roster, but if he continues to deliver these kinds of results, a big-league debut in 2025 can't be ruled out. Over six starts between Double-A and Triple-A, McLean has a 1.08 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 37:12 K:BB through 33.1 innings, and he has yet to serve up a homer.
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Mets' Nolan McLean: Moving up to Triple-A
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The Mets promoted McLean from Double-A Binghamton to Triple-A Syracuse on Monday, John Sparaco of SI.com reports.
Selected as a two-way player with the No. 91 overall pick in the 2023 First-Year Player Draft, McLean has been focusing exclusively on pitching since the middle of the 2024 season. He's solidified himself as one of the top prospects in the Mets organization after getting hot a hot start to the 2025 campaign, having compiled a 1.37 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 30:12 K:BB over 26.1 innings with Binghamton. McLean will be part of a talented Syracuse rotation that also includes buzzy prospects in Brandon Sproat and Blade Tidwell, the latter of whom made his MLB debut Sunday before being optioned back to Triple-A.
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Mets' Nolan McLean: Scraps hitting
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McLean will focus on pitching going forward, SNY Mets reports.
He cited the physical toll that doing both hitting and pitching was taking on his body, but his 52.2-percent strikeout rate in 69 plate appearances as a hitter at Double-A likely also factored into the decision. McLean is a very exciting pitching prospect, sporting one of the best high-spin sliders in the minors and a mid-90s fastball with good movement. There's perhaps another level of upside with McLean on the mound now, considering he had been trying to be a two-way player up until this point and can just focus on pitching going forward. The 6-foot-2 righty has been unlucky at Double-A (.358 BABIP, 21.1 HR/FB), leading to a 5.35 ERA and 1.55 WHIP, but his 3.86 xFIP hints that better days are ahead.
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Mets' Nolan McLean: Thriving on mound
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McLean has posted a 2.84 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and 22:7 K:BB through 19 innings for High-A Brooklyn.
The 22-year-old right-hander hasn't allowed a run in four of his five outings to begin the year, with only a six-run stumble against Jersey Shore on April 17 marring his numbers. McLean is still being used as a two-way player and is DHing when he doesn't pitch, but he's been less impressive as a hitter, batting .220 (9-for-41) with a 3:22 BB:K -- although eight of his nine hits have gone for extra bases, including three homers. A third-round pick in 2023 out of Oklahoma State, McLean may have to give up hitting as he moves up the ladder but may have a bright future on the mound.
