Mets' Nolan McLean expects to join Team USA for WBC in next few days after successful sim game
Mets pitcher Nolan McLean during a spring training workout on Feb. 20, 2026, in Port St. Lucie, Fla. Credit: Newsday/Alejandra Villa Loarca
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. – Nolan McLean didn’t feel a recurrence of his vertigo-like symptoms in a simulation game Wednesday and intends to join Team USA for the World Baseball Classic in a few days, the pitcher said.
McLean threw four innings on a Clover Park backfield after battling dizziness and loss of appetite last week – the result of what doctors believe to be an inner-ear infection. He remains on track to start in Team USA's fourth and final pool play game against Italy on March 11, and manager Mark DeRosa said McLean would get the ball in the final, were the USA to get that far.
“I have no symptoms [from] throwing, which I think is the ultimate goal,” said McLean, who will consult with doctors but otherwise doesn’t believe there will be anything precluding him from flying to Houston.
Of potentially starting the final, he added: “That’s a great honor but there’s a lot of baseball to be played and a lot of really good teams out there, so my job is to go out there and compete against Team Italy.”
McLean, who lost about five pounds while ill, said that his “body weight is in a good spot [and] all my strength numbers on all tests have been right where they are normally.”
Additionally, A.J. Minter, who missed last season with a torn lat, pitched in his first sim game. Luis Robert Jr., who’s being eased into playing time due to his injury history, also played center for the first time during the game.
“The first one is always the hardest,” said Minter, who pitched one scoreless inning. “It definitely felt good to be out there. I’m happy with the results – I came in and threw strikes…[It was] just confidence building.”
Though there’s no strict timetable on Minter, manager Carlos Mendoza said a best-case scenario would see him return to action in late April or early May.
Scoreless Scott
Christian Scott, in his first real game action since undergoing Tommy John surgery, pitched a sterling 2 2/3 innings of relief in the Mets’ exhibition game against Team Israel at Clover Park. Scott allowed no runs and two hits with no walks and five strikeouts; his fastball reached 96.8 mph and he threw 50 pitches, 40 for strikes. "As soon as I got the surgery done [18 months ago], I knew this was on the horizon," Scott said. "It's just my first start but there's lots to build off of, but obviously, to be able to fill up the strike zone like I was able to [was positive]...I'm in a good spot right now, especially early on. I'm excited for that."
Laura Albanese is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. She's been covering MLB since 2014 after starting at Newsday as an intern seven years earlier.
