NEW YORK -- Nolan McLean will return to the mound Friday for his 14th start of the season against the Braves, carrying a 3-4 record and 3.98 ERA into that game at Citi Field. He’ll be facing Atlanta for the first time since a dominant performance in his second career start last August. Here’s what else to know about his outing:
Last start: McLean showed improvement for the second consecutive start, cutting his walk total from five in a May 31 start to three last time out in San Diego. It was no coincidence that he allowed just one run over six innings.
Stat to know: McLean has allowed two runs over his last two starts combined, after giving up 16 runs (13 earned) in his previous two outings.
What he said: “I think the biggest thing is getting different pitches in the zone,” McLean said. “It’s much easier to hit when you know one pitch is going to be a strike and the other one isn’t. That’s been the main focus.”
Next opponent: McLean made his aforementioned second career start against the Braves last August, striking out seven over seven innings of two-run ball. That remains tied for his longest Major League outing to date. Most of the damage against McLean in that game came courtesy of Ronald Acuña Jr., who won’t be active for this series.