Mets' Nolan McLean continues to roll, tames Tigers and improves to 4-0
Mets starting pitcher Nolan McLean throws during the first inning against the Tigers on Tuesday night in Detroit. Credit: AP/Ryan Sun
DETROIT — The McLean train keeps on rolling.
Mets rookie sensation Nolan McLean, after a shaky first inning, dominated the Tigers on Tuesday night and the Mets pounded out four home runs and 17 hits in a 12-5 victory.
The 24-year-old righthander went six innings and struck out seven in his fourth big-league start. McLean (4-0, 1.37 ERA) gave up two runs, three hits and walked three — all in a six-batter span after he got the first two outs in the first inning — and then retired the final 14 men he faced.
It looked as if he could have pitched all night, but with a 12-2 lead after 6½ innings, McLean was done at 90 pitches.
In 26 1⁄3 innings as a big-leaguer, McLean has given up 13 hits, walked seven and struck out 28. According to OptaSTATS, he is the second MLB pitcher to go 4-0 with a sub-1.50 ERA and 25 or more strikeouts over his first four career starts since Fernando Valenzuela of the Dodgers in 1981.
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).
— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) September 3, 2025
The other was Fernando Valenzuela in 1981. pic.twitter.com/suQHBVxJtl
“Another impressive outing,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “We all saw that first inning, especially the sweeper and the curveball, the way he’s able to spin it, he didn’t have command of those pitches. And then, that’s what you call pitching — understanding that you have to make adjustments and find a way to get through five, six innings.”
The ultra-confident McLean said: “First inning didn’t go the way I wanted. But I trusted my stuff and knew if I could find some pitches later in the game, I was going to be tough to hit.”
Pete Alonso hit two solo homers, Juan Soto hit his fifth home run in his last five games, Luis Torrens had a three-run blast and Jeff McNeil (three RBIs), Brandon Nimmo and Brett Baty all had three hits. The Mets enjoyed a five-run fourth inning and six-run seventh as they scored in double digits for the second day in a row against Detroit. The Mets won on Monday, 10-8.
Alonso gave McLean a 1-0 lead with a 435-foot home run to center on 3-and-0 in the first off righthander Sawyer Gipson-Long, who was making his third start of the season.
But McLean had trouble throwing strikes with his off-speed pitches in a 24-pitch, two-run bottom of the first during which half his offerings were balls.
It started with a pair of two-out walks, both on 3-and-2. McLean then fell behind Spencer Torkelson 2-and-0 before the Tigers first baseman grounded an RBI single to left.
Wenceel Perez followed by rocketing a hanging curve for a one-hop single to Soto in right. Riley Greene scored easily to give Detroit a 2-1 lead, but McLean was spared further damage when Torrens fired Soto’s throw home to second base to nail Perez for the final out of the inning.
McLean walked Zach McKinstry to open the second, but McKinstry was thrown out by Torrens trying to steal second. After a single by Dillon Dingler, McLean retired the next three batters, and then he had a 1-2-3 third. And fourth. And fifth, when he struck out the side. And the sixth, which he opened with his fourth consecutive strikeout.
McLean said he went to his harder pitches, and then later in the game his sweeper and curve returned. He shared credit with Torrens, to whom he was throwing for the first time.
“He was excellent today,” Torrens said through an interpreter. “He’s just been excellent since he’s been up here.”
The Mets gave McLean a 6-2 lead in a five-run fourth that included Torrens’ three-run homer off the rightfield foul pole.
Soto led off the seventh with his 37th home run, a towering 408-foot blast to right-center that Soto admired from home plate. Alonso followed with his second and 33rd of the season to make it 8-2.
The Mets added four more runs and six hits in the inning, with all the damage coming off Chris Paddack.
The Mets are now five games ahead of both the Reds and Giants for the final NL wild-card spot. They gained a half-game on the idle Phillies and trail the NL East leaders by 5 1⁄2 games. Their next two series are at Cincinnati and at Philadelphia.
Notes & quotes
Jesse Winker’s season may be over as the DH/OF had to suspend his minor-league rehab assignment to get checked out by doctors in New York. Winker, who has been out since July 11 with lower back inflammation, has appeared in just 26 games (.229, one HR) after re-signing for one year and $7.5 million in the offseason. “Sucks for Wink,” said Mendoza, who said “we’re probably running out of time” in terms of a 2025 return . . . Tyrone Taylor (left hamstring strain) was placed on the 10-day IL retroactive to Saturday. Jared Young was recalled from Syracuse . . . Mendoza said “there’s a good chance” Jonah Tong will make his second big-league start on Saturday in Cincinnati . . . Tylor Megill (elbow) allowed three runs in four innings in a rehab start for Syracuse. In the same game, Francisco Alvarez caught nine innings with a fractured left pinky finger and surgically repaired ligament in his right thumb and went 1-for-4.
Anthony Rieber covers baseball, as well as the NFL, NBA and NHL. He has worked at Newsday since Aug. 31, 1998, and has been in his current position since July 5, 2004.
