Nolan McLean Is Making the New York Mets Look Like Geniuses
Sometimes baseball gives you exactly what you need when you least expect it. For the New York Mets, that gift came wrapped in a 24-year-old right-hander from North Carolina who’s making everyone wonder how the heck he slipped through the cracks for so long.
The Kid Who’s Rewriting the Rookie Handbook
Nolan McLean didn’t just show up to the big leagues. He kicked down the door and made himself at home. Two starts into his MLB career, and this guy is already looking like he belongs in the same conversation as the veterans who’ve been doing this for years.
Let’s talk about what happened Friday night in Atlanta, because it was the kind of performance that makes you scratch your head and wonder if we’re witnessing something special. McLean went seven strong innings against a Braves lineup that can make grown men cry, allowing just two runs on four hits while striking out seven. He also did not walk a batter.
You want to know how rare that is? The Mets hadn’t seen a starter go seven innings, not named David Peterson, since June 7. That is 62 games of watching their rotation crumble like a stale cookie.
Breaking Down McLean’s Supernatural Stuff
The numbers behind McLean’s breaking balls are absolutely bonkers. We are talking video game territory here. His curveball is spinning at 3,279 RPMs. That is the highest average spin rate among all major league starters this season. His sweeper? A ridiculous 2,995 RPMs, ranking in the top three.
To put that in perspective, most pitchers would sacrifice their favorite glove to get those kinds of spin rates. McLean just shows up with them naturally, like he ordered them from some cosmic baseball catalog the rest of us don’t have access to.
The Pitching Ninja himself, Rob Friedman, posted a video of one McLean curveball that clocked in at 3,423 RPMs. That pitch had more spin than a politician during election season, and it left Braves hitters looking like they were swinging at a wiffle ball in a hurricane.
The Braves Homecoming That Dreams Are Made Of
Here is where it gets good. McLean grew up a Braves fan in North Carolina. He probably had posters of Chipper Jones and Greg Maddux on his bedroom walls. On Friday night, he got to pitch in front of those same legends during the Braves’ 1995 World Series celebration.
Talk about a full-circle moment. The kid who used to cheer for the Braves just shut them down in their own ballpark while his childhood heroes watched from the stands. That is the kind of story that gives you goosebumps, even if you hate both teams. “It was cool,” McLean said. “Those guys were some of the best to do it.”
Manager Carlos Mendoza Can’t Even Handle It
When your manager runs out of words to describe you after just two starts, you know you’re doing something right. Carlos Mendoza, who has seen his fair share of prospects come and go, was practically speechless when asked about McLean. “At this point, I don’t know what else to say about him. This kid is special,” Mendoza said.
The Mets Offense Finally Shows Up To the Party
While McLean was dealing on the mound, the Mets’ offense decided to have itself a good old-fashioned hitting clinic. Twenty-one hits. That is the kind of offensive explosion that makes pitchers want to hide in the clubhouse tunnel.
Brett Baty led the charge with his first career four-hit game, going 4-for-6 with three runs scored. Juan Soto chipped in with a three-hit performance that included a home run and four RBI. When your offense puts up 12 runs and 21 hits, it makes the pitcher’s job a whole lot easier. “It definitely makes it easier to fill up the strike zone knowing that your offense is putting up the numbers they were,” McLean said.
The Command That Separates Good from Great
The most impressive part of McLean’s second start wasn’t the strikeouts or the spin rates. It was the control. After walking four batters in his debut, he came back and didn’t issue a single free pass against Atlanta. That kind of adjustment between starts is what separates the prospects who stick around from the ones who become trivia questions. McLean made the necessary tweaks and executed them flawlessly when it mattered most.
What This Means For New York’s Playoff Push
The Mets have been hanging on by their fingernails in the playoff race. They are just one game ahead of the Reds for the final wild card spot, and with only 34 games left, there’s no room for error. McLean’s emergence couldn’t have come at a better time. When your rotation has been about as reliable as a chocolate teapot, finding a rookie who can give you seven quality innings is like discovering buried treasure in your backyard.
If McLean can continue this level of performance, the Mets might actually have a fighting chance at making some noise in October. At the very least, they have found a piece they can build around for the future.
The Bottom Line
Two starts don’t make a career, and we have all seen prospects flame out after hot debuts. But there’s something different about McLean. Maybe it’s the way he adjusts between starts, or the supernatural spin on his breaking balls, or just the calm confidence he carries himself with on the mound. Whatever it is, the Mets have stumbled onto something special. In a season that’s been more frustrating than trying to assemble IKEA furniture without the instructions, he has given fans a reason to believe again.
