Nolan McLean will get an opportunity to inject life into a Mets rotation in need of a jolt.
The Mets plan to promote McLean, the No. 37 prospect in baseball per MLB.com, for his major league debut on Saturday against the Mariners, manager Carlos Mendoza announced Wednesday.
McLean is taking the rotation spot lost by struggling Frankie Montas in recent days.
McLean, 24, has posted a 2.78 ERA in 16 appearances (13 of which are starts) this season for Triple-A Syracuse. The right-hander totaled 97 strikeouts in 87 ¹/₃ innings.
Mendoza said his conversations with Syracuse manager Dick Scott throughout the season have served as an indicator that McLean is ready — physically, mentally and emotionally.
“There is a lot to like,” Mendoza said. “We all see the pitches. Everybody talks about the sweeper, the mid-90s sinker and all. But it’s just the way he carries himself, how he deals with adversity, his ability to navigate lineups, the way he fields his position and controls the running game. I am excited to have him here.”
Nolan McLean will start against Seattle. Minor League Baseball via Getty
The Mets selected McLean over Brandon Sproat, who has pitched at a high level recently for Syracuse after struggling to begin the season.
“Both of these kids were in the conversation, but we decided to go with McLean,” Mendoza said. “I think that says a lot about where Sproat is in his development, the fact that his name was in the conversation, too.”
Frankie Montas is now in the bullpen. Michael McLoone-Imagn Images
Mendoza indicated the plan is to give McLean — who will be pitching on five days of rest after throwing four innings for Syracuse on Sunday — an extended look in the rotation, rather than just insert him for one start.
Mets starters have struggled to work deep into games and there is hope McLean can help remedy that. The Mets haven’t had a starter other than David Peterson complete six innings since June 7, when Clay Holmes finished the sixth.
Lately, getting even five innings from a starter has been a challenge, as Kodai Senga, Sean Manaea and Holmes all finished short of that mark in their respective outings over the past week.
Montas, who lasted only three innings Saturday behind an opener, has been demoted to the bullpen, where he will work in long relief as he attempts to get on track. The right-hander has pitched to a 6.38 ERA this season.
Mendoza downplayed the effect of inserting the rookie into the pressure of a pennant race against another postseason contender — the Mariners entered the day tied for first in the AL West.
“We feel good about him going out there and giving us a chance to win baseball games,” Mendoza said. “At the big league level, you are going to be facing really good teams, whether it’s the Mariners or whoever. You are facing big league hitters. There’s always pressure. It’s the big leagues, right?”
If the Mets are going to reach the postseason for a second straight year, they might need a boost from an unexpected source such as McLean.
“Usually, there’s been a trend that you have seen from teams that have done really well and won and won World Series in the past,” Brandon Nimmo said Tuesday before the Mets had officially decided upon McLean. “Usually, it’s an expected player making an impact. It doesn’t always have to be a rookie.”
Nimmo pointed to the impacts Mark Vientos and Jose Iglesias had on the Mets last season.
The Mets held off on promoting McLean earlier in the season in part because team officials wanted to see improvement from him against left-handed hitters.
McLean, a third-round pick by the Mets in 2023, entered the organization as a two-way player after he shined offensively at Oklahoma State, but midway through last season he became a full-time pitcher.