Nolan McLean made his 30th start of the season for the Mets in their loss to the Phillies on Thursday night, showcasing another solid outing with six innings pitched and allowing only one run. Despite suffering an injury when he collided with first baseman Jared Young, who had to be taken to the hospital, McLean's impressive rookie year, including a league-high 166 ²/₃ innings and 184 strikeouts, has given the Mets hope for his future as their ace pitcher. Interim manager Andy Green praised McLean’s work ethic and competitive drive, noting that he pushes himself to take on more responsibility both during and outside of the regular season.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-18,
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Story summary
Nolan McLean continued to offer hope for the Mets' future with another strong outing on Thursday night against the Phillies, ending his season with a quality start despite suffering a loss. Despite holding the Phillies to just one run over six innings, McLean was involved in a terrifying collision with first baseman Jared Young during the game, which resulted in Young being stretchered off the field and taken to the hospital. McLean finished the 2026 season with an impressive 3.18 ERA and went 11-10 in his 30 starts, more than any other rookie pitcher in the National League that year. The Mets see McLean as a key part of their future rotation along with promising pitchers like Christian Scott and Zac Thornton.
Written for “Mets Future Hope Nolan Mclean” on 2026-09-18,
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Those plans ended a while ago, and even McLean’s standout season wasn’t enough to get the Mets past their awful start.
asserted
Mets → end → start
Still, as they look to the future and believe they’ve found some good young players in outfielders Carson Benge and A.J. Ewing, they’re also confident McLean can front a rotation that should also include pitchers with solid futures ahead of them, such as righty Christian Scott and lefty Zac Thornton.
asserted
that → look → Scott
None is more important than McLean, who made his 30th start of the year Thursday night in the Mets’ 3-0 loss to the Phillies in the opener of their final home series of the season.
asserted
who → make → season
McLean enjoyed another quality start, holding the Phillies to one run over six innings, but suffered the loss and is now 11-10 with a solid 3.18 ERA.
asserted
McLean → enjoy → ERA
McLean was also involved in a harrowing collision with Jared Young in the sixth inning when he inadvertently struck Young with his knee, forcing the first baseman to exit the game and to be stretchered off the field before being taken to the hospital.
asserted
he → involve → hospital
Though his season ended on a tough note, McLean gave the Mets hope that he could be their ace of the future.
uncertain
he → end → future
No rookie pitcher in the National League has made more starts than McLean in 2026, and he also entered Thursday’s action with a league-high 166 ²/₃ innings and 184 strikeouts.
asserted
he → make → innings
As interim manager Andy Green noted before Thursday’s loss, it’s not enough for McLean, who is scheduled to make one more start on the road before the end of the year.
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who → note → year
“We’re encouraged he could handle that workload and demonstrate that durability,’’ Green said.
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Green → ’re → durability
“Frankly, he pushed back on me when we didn’t give him a start [Wednesday on four days’ rest].
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we → push → rest
He could do math.
uncertain
He → do → math
I like the fact he pushed back on me and wanted to pitch.
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he → like → me
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.”
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we → like → days
Instead, McLean will likely have to settle for one more in Texas on Wednesday.
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McLean → have → Wednesday
“He’ll take the ball every chance he gets,” veteran left-handed starter Sean Manaea said.
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Manaea → take → ball
“He wants to go deep into games and eat up innings.
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He → want → innings
And he puts in the work every day.
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he → put → work
For his first full season [in the majors], it’s pretty incredible.
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it → ’ → majors
For the Mets to make sure they aren’t in a similar situation down the stretch in the future, McLean will have to build on what he’s done.
asserted
he → make → what
As Green noted, McLean also took on the added pressure of pitching in the World Baseball Classic before the season.
asserted
McLean → note → season
McLean pitched 7 ²/₃ innings in the tournament before spring training was over, which Green believes will serve him well in the future.
“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.’
asserted
I → pitch → career
You love that about him and the way he’s wired and the way he wants to compete.”
asserted
he → love → him
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you → receive → purchase
It’s part of what sets him apart from other pitchers, especially inexperienced pitchers, according to Manaea.
uncertain
what → ’ → Manaea
“No matter what the expectations were for him and his talent, you knew there would be ups and downs,’’ Manaea said.
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Manaea → know → him
“There were a lot more ups, but he also does a great job of not letting one outing get to him.
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outing → be → him
If he has a bad one, he moves on and doesn’t let it snowball.
asserted
it → have → one
To withstand all of that for the first time, that’s a big step.
asserted
that → withstand → time
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He’ll miss out on adding to that workload in the playoffs, but the Mets have to hope McLean being one of their few bright spots will lead to them avoiding this situation again.
asserted
them → deliver → situation
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