The New York Mets faced the Philadelphia Phillies in a pivotal three-game series in Queens. New York took the first two games of the NL East showdown before giving the ball to Nolan McLean on Wednesday. After a historic start to his career, McLean’s legend grew with a sensational performance against a division rival.
The Mets’ rookie starter allowed four hits and no walks with six strikeouts in eight scoreless innings, as New York won 6-0 and swept the Phillies. Mclean, now 3-0, boasts a 0.89 ERA and 0.69 WHIP in three starts.
Manager Carlos Mendoza was blown away by the 24-year-old righty’s performance. “All I can say is, ‘Wow.’ That was super impressive. He dominated one of the best lineups in the league. He made it look easy,” Mendoza said per SNY.
Rookie Nolan McLean dazzles as Mets sweep Phillies
“Everything about the kid – not only what we’re seeing on the mound but just the way he carries himself. He’s got electric stuff but he’s got pitchability, he knows what he’s doing on the mound, he knows how to manipulate the baseball. He knows what hitters are trying to do to him, he’s not afraid to use all of his pitches,” Mendoza added.
“When he’s behind he’s got the ability to spin the ball and get back in counts. He’s not afraid to challenge hitters. It’s pretty impressive.”
The Mets have impressed of late. After a 2-13 skid New York has rebounded. The team has won five of the last six games and gone 8-3 since August 16. The Mets were seven games behind the Phillies at the start of the week but now trail Philadelphia by four games.
Mendoza acknowledged the importance of McLean’s start and the impact the rookie could have on New York’s playoff aspirations. “It means a lot. We’ve been missing that type of performance pretty much the whole year,” Mendoza said, via SNY. “When he takes the baseball, you feel pretty good about your chances. That’s a really good feeling.”
With the rotation struggling, the Mets decided to call up McLean. While he had excelled in 16 Triple-A appearances, the first-year hurler has been even better in the majors.
McLean’s remarkable performance with the big league club helped convince New York to call up top pitching prospect Jonah Tong. He’ll make his major league debut against the Miami Marlins on Friday.
