McLean's Resilient Debut: Quality Start Despite Challenges

0:00On March 29, Mets' right-handed Nolan McClain kicked off his first start of the 2026 season rough against the Pirates in their series. Finale at City Field, he threw seven of his first eight pitches outside the zone, walking the first two batters he faced. But he bounced back strong, going five innings with just two runs on four hits, one hit batter and eight strikeouts, no more free passes. Cool temps and blustery winds made it tough, especially a headwind that amped up his pitch movement. McClain said his stuff danced more than usual, forcing him to adjust his aim later than ideal, particularly on secondary pitches like the sweeper. Curve ball early on, manager Carlos Mendoza praised the 24-year-old's grit, noting he battled through without his best command until the fourth inning. Mendoza loved how McClain kept the Mets in it despite not feeling sharp, proving he can compete on off days with only 48 big league innings in, eight prior starts. McClain diled in by leaning on his cutter and changed up more in the later frames, snagging

1:01quickouts and whiffs. He was stoked with the change up in the cold, a pitch he wants to feature, mixing in sinkers and four seamers too for an 84-pitch outing with, solid whiff rates across six pitch types. That resilience turned a shaky debut into a quality start, showing why the Mets trust this young arm to grow into a reliable piece even when. Conditions? Fightback Update from New York Mets News Today, powered by AI.