<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/new-york-mets/mets-news-pete-alonso-impressive-fact-nolan-mclean-not-pitching');   ga('set', 'title', 'Mets’ Pete Alonso reveals ‘impressive’ fact about Nolan McLean, and it’s not his pitching');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Nolan-McLean-with-NY-Mets-1.jpg"><figcaption>Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Mets’ Pete Alonso reveals ‘impressive’ fact about Nolan McLean, and it’s not his pitching</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-03T06:59:47-07:00">September 3rd, 6:59am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-03T06:59:47-07:00">September 3rd, 6:59am</time><address><a>Christopher Hennessy</a>Christopher Hennessy is a Senior Editor at ClutchPoints, with expertise in MLB, NHL and golf. Chris graduated with a journalism degree from Fordham University in 2022. He has also worked at Spectrum News One in Albany, New York and with The Hockey Writers as a New York Islanders writer. Chris is originally from Connecticut and is a lifelong New York Yankees, Islanders, and Jets fan.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">MLB</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The New York Mets beat the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday to win a three-game set on the road. Before they go for a sweep in the Motor City, everyone was waxing poetic about New York’s young starter. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/new-york-mets/mets-news-nolan-mclean-fernando-valenzuela-record">Nolan McLean threw six innings of two-run ball on Tuesday, but Mets</a> first baseman Pete Alonso is more impressed by what happens off the field. He <a href="https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/46142710/nolan-mclean-dominates-tigers-makes-mets-history-4-0-start" rel="noopener">spoke with the media</a> about the new ace’s off-field presence after another great start.</p><p>“I know everyone’s going to be talking about all the great stuff he’s doing on the field, which is for sure warranted, but how he’s going about his business, the day to day, it’s super impressive,” Alonso said, per ESPN. “And that’s the reason why he’s able to do what he’s been able to do on the field. … He’s been a pro since he’s come up, and there’s no shock and awe for why he’s found his success.”</p><p>In four starts with the Mets, McLean is 4-0 with a 1.37 ERA. Perhaps most importantly for New York, he has completed six innings in each of his last three starts. He has helped fix their problem of starters not going deep into games and, therefore, taxing the bullpen.</p><p>The Mets have a long history of developing elite starting pitchers in their minor-league system. From Tom Seaver and Nolan Ryan to Jacob deGrom and Matt Harvey, they have had a lot of success on the mound in their history. McLean and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/new-york-mets/mets-news-jonah-tong-accomplishes-feat-that-hasnt-been-seen-in-90-years">Jonah Tong could join that group in the coming years</a>. They are part of the reason that David Stearns did not go out and get starting pitchers in the offseason or at the deadline. Now, they have to pay off that trust.</p><p>The Mets finish off the series with the Tigers before heading to Cincinnati for a huge set against the Reds.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Mets’ Pete Alonso reveals ‘impressive’ fact about Nolan McLean, and it’s not his pitching

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/new-york-mets/mets-news-nolan-mclean-fernando-valenzuela-record');   ga('set', 'title', 'Mets’ Nolan McLean pulls off eye-popping feat last seen in 1981 Fernandomania');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/NMC.jpg"><figcaption>Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images.</figcaption></figure><h1>Mets’ Nolan McLean pulls off eye-popping feat last seen in 1981 Fernandomania</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-02T21:38:48-07:00">September 2nd, 9:38pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-02T21:38:48-07:00">September 2nd, 9:38pm</time><address><a>Josh Davis</a>Josh Davis is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints with a focus on MLB. As the founder and creator of OutOfSightSports, Josh spearheads the development and expansion of an engaging social media platform, with a core focus on Twitter/X. A passionate sports writer, Josh is dedicated to delivering compelling content that connects fans and fuels vibrant sports conversations. His vision is to craft stories so vivid that fans feel like they’re standing at the plate or on the field.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">MLB</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The New York Mets are heating up at the right time, and they have rookie pitcher Nolan McLean to thank. During Tuesday night’s 12-5 win over the Detroit Tigers, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/new-york-mets/mets-news-nolan-mclean-makes-mlb-history">the Mets rookie pitcher turned in another gem</a>, drawing comparisons to one of the most iconic debuts in MLB history—Fernando Valenzuela’s legendary 1981 start.</p><p>McLean became the first rookie pitcher since Valenzuela to start his career 4-0 with a sub-1.50 ERA and record at least 25 strikeouts over his first four career starts. It’s a stat line so rare, it had remained untouched for over four decades.</p><p>OPTAstats took to their X (formerly known as Twitter) platform to <a href="https://x.com/OptaSTATS/status/1963062715900912123" rel="noopener">highlight the incredible achievement</a>, sparking viral buzz and renewed hope in the Mets playoff race.</p><p>“Nolan McLean of the @Mets is the second MLB pitcher to go 4-0 with a sub-1.50 ERA and 25+ strikeouts over his first 4 career starts (since ERA became official in both leagues in 1913)</p><p>The other was Fernando Valenzuela in 1981.”</p><p>The rookie pitcher’s final line was impressive — 6.0 innings with 7 strikeouts, 2 earned runs, 4 hits allowed, and 2 walks. After giving up two runs in the first inning, McLean responded by retiring 14 consecutive batters, showcasing poise far beyond his experience.</p><p>Through four starts, McLean now sports a 1.37 ERA, 25 strikeouts, and a sub-1.00 WHIP across 26.1 innings. His dominance is helping anchor a rotation that has struggled with consistency from veterans like Kodai Senga and Sean Manaea.</p><p>With the win, the club improved to 75-64, remaining 5.5 games behind the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East while building a 5.0-game cushion in the Wild Card race over the Cincinnati Reds. With 23 games left, they’re tracking toward 88–89 wins—right in the thick of October contention.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/new-york-mets/mets-news-nolan-mclean-randy-johnson-territory">The Mets standout rookie isn’t just chasing wins</a>—he’s chasing history. And as comparisons to Fernandomania grow louder, so does the hype surrounding what the 24-year-old could mean for New York this postseason and beyond.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Mets’ Nolan McLean pulls off eye-popping feat last seen in 1981 Fernandomania

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/new-york-mets/mets-news-carlos-mendoza-nolan-mclean-fourth-start');   ga('set', 'title', 'Mets manager Carlos Mendoza drops verdict on Nolan McLean’s fourth start');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Nolan-Mclean.jpg"><figcaption>Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images.</figcaption></figure><h1>Mets manager Carlos Mendoza drops verdict on Nolan McLean’s fourth start</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-02T20:37:57-07:00">September 2nd, 8:37pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-02T20:37:57-07:00">September 2nd, 8:37pm</time><address><a>Josh Davis</a>Josh Davis is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints with a focus on MLB. As the founder and creator of OutOfSightSports, Josh spearheads the development and expansion of an engaging social media platform, with a core focus on Twitter/X. A passionate sports writer, Josh is dedicated to delivering compelling content that connects fans and fuels vibrant sports conversations. His vision is to craft stories so vivid that fans feel like they’re standing at the plate or on the field.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">MLB</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The New York Mets may have found a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/new-york-mets/mets-news-nolan-mclean-randy-johnson-territory">rotation revelation in rookie Nolan McLean</a>, and Carlos Mendoza isn’t hiding his excitement.</p><p>Following the Mets’ 12-5 win over the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park Tuesday night, the manager offered high praise for McLean’s performance. In just his fourth career MLB start, the 24-year-old continued to impress as New York’s playoff chase intensifies.</p><p>SNYtv took to the network’s official X (formerly known as Twitter), posting a video of the Mets manager <a href="https://x.com/SNYtv/status/1963054114608120153" rel="noopener">discussing</a> the rookie pitcher’s outing after moving to 4-0 to begin his career.</p><p>“Another impressive outing from him. That’s what you call pitching. Understanding you have to make adjustments and find a way to go 5 or 6 innings”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">"Another impressive outing from him. That's what you call pitching. Understanding you have to make adjustments and find a way to go 5 or 6 innings"</p><p>Carlos Mendoza talks about Nolan McLean's outing vs. the Tigers <a href="https://t.co/CgDvwRBBZX">pic.twitter.com/CgDvwRBBZX</a></p><p>— SNY (@SNYtv) <a href="https://twitter.com/SNYtv/status/1963054114608120153?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 3, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>McLean’s night began with early traffic on the bases, allowing two runs in the first inning. But from that point on, he was nearly untouchable—retiring the final 14 batters he faced and finishing with seven strikeouts over six strong innings. The right-hander now holds a 1.37 ERA through 26.1 innings in the big leagues.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/new-york-mets/mets-news-juan-soto-september-quote-tigers">The win kept the Mets playoff push alive</a>, improving their record to 75-64. They remain within striking distance in the NL East while holding the final Wild Card spot. Offensively, Juan Soto homered, Pete Alonso went deep twice, and Brandon Nimmo led a multi-hit effort that helped the club pull away victorious.</p><p>What makes the rookie right-hander’s run even more impressive is its historical context. He’s the first pitcher in Mets history to win his first four MLB starts, surpassing legends like Tom Seaver and Dwight Gooden. Across the league, no one has posted a 4-0 record with a sub-1.50 ERA to begin a career in over a decade.</p><p>While Mendoza’s tone was supportive, fans on social media suggested his praise might also carry a message. Some speculated that veterans in the Mets rotation, such as Kodai Senga and Sean Manaea, could be feeling added pressure to step up.</p><p>Regardless, the message is clear that adaptability and composure matter, and McLean is showing both. For the Mets, it could be the kind of in-house breakthrough that tilts the playoff race in their favor.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza drops verdict on Nolan McLean’s fourth start

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/new-york-mets/mets-news-nolan-mclean-randy-johnson-territory');   ga('set', 'title', 'Mets’ Nolan McLean enters Randy Johnson territory with torrid start to career');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/unnamed-file.jpg"><figcaption>Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images.</figcaption></figure><h1>Mets’ Nolan McLean enters Randy Johnson territory with torrid start to career</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-08-27T23:20:07-07:00">August 27th, 11:20pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-08-27T23:20:07-07:00">August 27th, 11:20pm</time><address><a>Josh Davis</a>Josh Davis is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints with a focus on MLB. As the founder and creator of OutOfSightSports, Josh spearheads the development and expansion of an engaging social media platform, with a core focus on Twitter/X. A passionate sports writer, Josh is dedicated to delivering compelling content that connects fans and fuels vibrant sports conversations. His vision is to craft stories so vivid that fans feel like they’re standing at the plate or on the field.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">MLB</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The New York Mets have a rising star making waves in the National League — Nolan McLean. In just his first three big-league starts, the 24-year-old right-hander has done more than stabilize the Mets rotation — he’s already carved out a place in MLB rookie pitcher history.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/new-york-mets/mets-news-nolan-mclean-tom-seavers-record-phillies-beatdown">McLean has delivered a dazzling stat line to begin his career</a>, posting a perfect 3-0 record, 20.1 innings pitched, 24 strikeouts, a 0.89 ERA, and a .167 opponent batting average. Those numbers not only reflect dominance — they echo history.</p><p>In the Mets’ series finale win at home, OptaSTATS took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to highlight that the rookie <a href="https://x.com/OptaSTATS/status/1960899589818507768" rel="noopener">joined elite company</a> following his dominant performance against the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday night.</p><p>“Nolan McLean of the @Mets is the first MLB pitcher to have:</p><p>3-0 record</p><p>20+ innings</p><p>20+ strikeouts</p><p>sub-.200 opp BA</p><p>…over his first 3 career starts since Randy Johnson in 1988.”</p><p>The comparison to the legendary Randy Johnson is no exaggeration. His 1988 debut was the beginning of a Hall of Fame career that featured 303 wins and five Cy Young Awards. While McLean still has a long road ahead, he’s already launched his career from rare and elite territory.</p><p>In Wednesday’s 6-0 win vs. Philadelphia, McLean tossed eight scoreless innings, striking out nine, walking none, and surrendering just four hits. He leaned heavily on a sweeping slider and sinker that induced 12 groundouts — a hallmark of his 69.2% ground ball rate.</p><p>Drafted by the Mets in the third round of the 2023 MLB Draft out of Oklahoma State, McLean excelled as a two-way player, hitting 25 home runs and recording 105 strikeouts in his final college season. Since transitioning to full-time pitching, he’s showcased plus velocity around 95 mph and elite extension that shortens hitters’ reaction time.</p><p>The emergence of McLean has arrived at a critical juncture for a team battling injuries across its starting rotation, including multiple season-ending setbacks. His presence has not only stabilized the staff but also fueled momentum in the standings. Now sitting at 72-61, the club occupies the third and final NL Wild Card spot and have pulled to within 4.0 games of Philadelphia in the NL East.</p><p>The rookie pitcher’s early success highlights a growing trend across MLB, as teams increasingly prioritize athletic, multi-dimensional prospects — a shift largely influenced by Shohei Ohtani’s impact. McLean’s transition from two-way college standout to immediate big-league contributor reinforces the value of that development model. His breakout could accelerate similar paths for rising arms like Andrew Painter and Cade Povich.</p><p>For now, the Mets appear to have found more than a spot starter. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/new-york-mets/mets-news-carlos-mendozas-reaction-nolan-mclean-gem">McLean is looking like a homegrown ace</a> — one whose early numbers match a legend, and whose presence might just swing a pennant race.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Mets’ Nolan McLean enters Randy Johnson territory with torrid start to career

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/new-york-mets/mets-news-carlos-mendozas-reaction-nolan-mclean-gem');   ga('set', 'title', 'Carlos Mendoza’s blown away reaction to Nolan McLean gem');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Nolan-McLean_f9fb10.jpg"><figcaption>Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Carlos Mendoza’s blown away reaction to Nolan McLean gem</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-08-27T20:07:31-07:00">August 27th, 8:07pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-08-27T20:27:52-07:00">August 27th, 8:27pm</time><address><a>Mike Gianakos</a>Mike Gianakos is the former editor-in-chief of High Times magazine, where he also spearheaded the video department and event production. He is a longtime podcaster and even longer suffering NY Jets fan.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">MLB</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The New York Mets faced the Philadelphia Phillies in a pivotal three-game series in Queens. New York took the first two games of the NL East showdown before giving the ball to Nolan McLean on Wednesday. After a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/new-york-mets/mets-news-nolan-mclean-makes-mlb-history">historic start to his career</a>, McLean’s legend grew with a sensational performance against a division rival.</p><p>The Mets’ rookie starter allowed four hits and no walks with six strikeouts in eight scoreless innings, as New York won 6-0 and swept the Phillies. Mclean, now 3-0, boasts a 0.89 ERA and 0.69 WHIP in three starts.</p><p>Manager Carlos Mendoza was blown away by the 24-year-old <a href="https://x.com/SNYtv/status/1960880668159693219" rel="noopener">righty’s performance</a>. “All I can say is, ‘Wow.’ That was super impressive. He dominated one of the best lineups in the league. He made it look easy,” Mendoza said per SNY.</p><h2><b>Rookie Nolan McLean dazzles as Mets sweep Phillies</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Nolan-McLean-2.jpg"><figcaption>Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>“Everything about the kid – not only what we’re seeing on the mound but just the way he carries himself. He’s got electric stuff but he’s got pitchability, he knows what he’s doing on the mound, he knows how to manipulate the baseball. He knows what hitters are trying to do to him, he’s not afraid to use all of his pitches,” Mendoza added.</p><p>“When he’s behind he’s got the ability to spin the ball and get back in counts. He’s not afraid to challenge hitters. It’s pretty impressive.”</p><p>The Mets have impressed of late. After a 2-13 skid New York has rebounded. The team has won five of the last six games and gone 8-3 since August 16. The Mets were seven games behind the Phillies at the start of the week but now trail Philadelphia by four games.</p><p>Mendoza <a href="https://x.com/SNYtv/status/1960881170347962567" rel="noopener">acknowledged the importance</a> of McLean’s start and the impact the rookie could have on New York’s playoff aspirations. “It means a lot. We’ve been missing that type of performance pretty much the whole year,” Mendoza said, via SNY. “When he takes the baseball, you feel pretty good about your chances. That’s a really good feeling.”</p><p>With the rotation struggling, the Mets decided to <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/new-york-mets/why-mets-should-be-fired-up-nolan-mcleans-mlb-debut">call up McLean</a>. While he had excelled in 16 Triple-A appearances, the first-year hurler has been even better in the majors.</p><p>McLean’s remarkable performance with the big league club helped convince New York to <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/new-york-mets/mets-rumors-top-prospect-pitch-citi-field-this-season">call up top pitching prospect Jonah Tong</a>. He’ll make his major league debut against the Miami Marlins on Friday.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

2025 SEASON STATS
IP	ERA	K	WHIP	WINS
61	0.89	21	0.69	3

2025 SEASON STATS
IP	ERA	K	WHIP	WINS
61	0.89	21	0.69	3

Nolan McLean

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Carlos Mendoza’s blown away reaction to Nolan McLean gem

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