The New York Mets are bringing up some help for their rotation for the final stretch of the season.
The Mets called up right-handed pitcher Nolan McLean on Wednesday. He’ll make his Major League Baseball debut officially on Saturday when the Mets host the Seattle Mariners.
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McLean, who is the No. 3 prospect in the Mets’ farm system , has split time with both the franchise’s Double-A and Triple-A affiliates so far this season. He holds a 2.45 ERA in 21 games and 18 starts with an 8-5 record. He’s struck out 127 batters in just shy of 114 innings, too. The Mets selected him in the third round of the 2023 draft out of Oklahoma State.
“We feel good with him going out there and giving us a chance to win baseball games at the big league level,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said, “Credit to him that he put himself in this position.”
The Mets also sent pitcher Justin Hagenman down to their Triple-A affiliate on Wednesday, and replaced him with Paul Blackburn after his rehab assignment.
McLean is joining the Mets during a rough stretch. They entered Wednesday’s matchup with the Atlanta Braves having lost 11 of their last 13 games, which included being swept by the San Diego Padres, Cleveland Guardians and Milwaukee Brewers. They snapped a seven-game skid with a 13-5 win over the Braves to kick off that three-game series on Tuesday.
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The Mets’ rotation holds a 3.71 ERA as a group, which is seventh in the league, though only one pitcher — David Peterson — has pitched at least six innings in the last month. McLean has hit that mark nine times this year in the minors.
The Mets hold a 64-55 record entering Wednesday’s contest, which has them five games back from the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East race. Though they still have a ways to go, McLean’s presence in their rotation could help provide a significant boost to their hopes for a meaningful postseason run.
