Nolan McLean Shines Despite Early Struggles in Mets’ Loss to Pirates

Nolan McLean showcased resilience on the mound during the Mets’ series finale against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citi Field, despite a rocky start. The right-hander struggled with command early, throwing seven of his first eight pitches outside the strike zone and issuing walks to the first two batters he faced. However, he settled in, delivering a solid 5.0 innings of two-run ball, allowing four hits, hitting one batter, and striking out eight in challenging weather conditions.

Manager Carlos Mendoza acknowledged McLean’s initial struggles, noting that he lacked a good feel for his pitches until the fourth inning. “We could see it the first couple of batters he was missing arm side,” Mendoza said. “He didn’t have a good feel for his pitches pretty much ’til the fourth inning.” McLean himself attributed some of his early difficulties to the blustery conditions, stating that his pitches felt like they were “moving a little bit more than they normally do.”

As the game progressed, McLean adapted to the headwind, which posed a unique challenge. “Throwing into the headwind is sometimes a little tricky, especially when my stuff’s moving a little more dramatically than it normally does,” he explained. “I was just trying to find where I needed to start my pitches, and it was a little bit later than I wanted to be in that. But once I found it, it felt good.”

This ability to adjust is exactly what managers hope to see from young pitchers, particularly one like McLean, who entered the 2026 season with only 48 big-league innings under his belt. Mendoza praised McLean’s competitiveness, saying, “He was able to go out there and compete, continue to battle, and kept us in the game. Found a way.” He added that McLean’s performance demonstrated his potential to contribute even on off days.

In the latter innings, McLean made a strategic adjustment, incorporating his cutter and changeup more frequently. This shift proved effective, as he struck out Jake Mangum with a low changeup to end a quick, eight-pitch fourth inning. “I didn’t have much feel early in the game of the sinker, but it started to come back to me later in the game,” the 24-year-old said. He emphasized his satisfaction with his changeup, particularly in the cold weather, stating, “I haven’t thrown it in the cold for a while now, so I was really satisfied with how it played today.”

In his 84-pitch outing, McLean showcased his versatility, throwing six different types of pitches and achieving 12 whiffs on 32 swings, alongside 20 called strikes. Notably, the changeup, curveball, and cutter accounted for half of his called strike plus whiff totals on just 27 offerings, highlighting his potential as he continues to develop in the league.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.