McLean spins career-high 105 pitches in gutsy win vs. Giants

NEW YORK -- It’s been quite easy to get caught up in the results of Nolan McLean’s rookie season, to become enamored with the electric stuff leaving his hand as he reached double-digit wins with a seven-inning gem in his previous outing vs. Houston. But according to interim manager Andy Green, the massive strides McLean has made in 2026 -- which showed up in a start where he only notched four strikeouts -- are impressive in a slightly different light.

“He didn’t punch out as many as he used to, or usually does, and he was just economical from an outing perspective,” Green said before Friday’s series opener vs. the Giants at Citi Field. “So, I think when you’re capable of reading the game that way, utilizing your arsenal in a way that gets you deeper into it, that has evolved from where he started this season.

“He’s also had the opportunity to respond to some adversity this year. I think that just gives guys more solid footing when they’ve gone through a tough stretch like that.”

McLean had to use that intangible on Friday, battling to provide the length after the Mets offense hit three home runs in the first two innings, giving the right-hander a bit of cushion. It wasn’t his cleanest outing -- he ran into some trouble in the third frame, allowing a couple of walks and a loud two-run double to Rafael Devers. But McLean earned the win in New York’s 10-6 victory, notching seven strikeouts while giving up just two runs on six hits and four walks over six innings.

McLean notched his fifth consecutive quality start (18th of the season). Those 18 quality starts are the most by a Mets rookie since Dwight Gooden (21) and Ron Darling (22) in 1984.

“Ah, lucky,” McLean said when asked to describe his night. “You never really want to get into that much traffic, but I made some big pitches when it really mattered there -- with the double play, and then going back out for the sixth and making pitches.”

It certainly helped that the Mets crushed five home runs -- Mark Vientos’ three-run home run in the first inning, Francisco Alvarez and Bo Bichette swatting one each in the second, Francisco Lindor adding a two-run blast in the sixth inning and Alvarez’s second solo shot in the eighth punctuating the outburst.

It was the third time the club had hit five home runs in a single game this season (first since New York’s 10-5 win vs. the White Sox on Aug. 22).

But McLean’s pivotal stretch of resilience began in the fifth inning. With his pitch count already at 77 entering the frame, he allowed the first three batters to reach with the Mets holding a 7-2 lead. After a mound visit to settle him down, McLean caught Jung Hoo Lee looking on a 96.2 mph sinker that started at the left-handed-hitting right fielder’s front hip.

McLean then got catcher Drew Cavanaugh to roll over an outside sinker. Second baseman Marcus Semien ranged to his right to make a sliding stop and flipped to the covering Lindor, who fired to first to complete the inning-ending double play. McLean, already walking towards the direction of the dugout, let off a cathartic yell as he and the Mets escaped trouble.

“The thing about him that I have always appreciated is [that] he can put himself into some nasty jams, and then he finds a ridiculous amount of confidence to work his way out of it,” Green said. “So you got the bases loaded, you got nobody out. He looks like he's about to be done before the fifth inning is even over.”

Almost surprisingly, McLean came back out for the sixth inning, sitting at 94 pitches. McLean said he had a discussion with his manager in the dugout, where the right-hander let his skipper know that he was feeling good and would like to go out for the sixth. Green, with trust in the 25-year-old budding ace, said that he could have three more batters. And what was McLean’s response?

“I said, ‘OK, that’s all I need.’”

McLean mowed down the bottom of the Giants order, only using his sinker, four-seam fastball and cutter to retire the side in order on 11 pitches in the sixth frame.

His final pitch -- his 105th of the night, a career high -- was a 96.3 mph sinker that ran back over the plate, catching Christian Koss looking. It almost seemed as if McLean knew he got Koss as soon as the ball left his hand.

“I mean, it's just kind of knowing what you got,” McLean said. “And the sweeper wasn't there for me tonight. I tried it a few times and just never really developed a feel for it. And I knew what the pitch count was at when I was going out in the sixth inning. So I kind of told Alvy right before, I said, 'Let's just go right after them. If they hit it, they hit it and see where we're at.' And sometimes you can find a little bit extra with some adrenaline.”