Nolan McLean sure can spin it, but the rookie didn’t solve the Mets ‘ issue of starting pitching length.
Making his big league debut, McLean shut out the Seattle Mariners over 5 1/3 innings on Saturday afternoon at Citi Field in a 3-1 win, navigating a deep lineup with an array of spinning breaking pitches. It was an impressive outing for the rookie right-hander, but when manager Carlos Mendoza went out to the mound in the sixth, fans booed the move.
In front of a sellout crowd of 42,978, the 24-year-old McLean pounded the zone, unafraid to go right at hitters, something Mets starters haven’t been doing effectively since June. McLean (1-0) threw 91 pitches, working more efficiently in the early innings than he did in the middle. The Mariners managed only two hits off the former Oklaho