The New York Mets will send their promising rookie to the mound on Friday in hopes of slowing a brutal recent skid against the Atlanta Braves.

Right-hander Nolan McLean will attempt to boost a New York squad that has lost 16 of 21 games to put its National League wild-card hopes in jeopardy. The Mets hold a half-game lead over the Cincinnati Reds for the final NL playoff slot.

The Mets dropped a 9-3 decision to the host Washington Nationals on Thursday in the decisive game of a three-game series.

The Braves have won 10 of their past 12, and they just took two of three from the visiting Chicago White Sox.

Atlanta leads the season series 7-3 heading into the teams' final meeting of the year. The Braves, who swept a three-game set against the Mets in Atlanta from June 17-19, have not lost

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