DETROIT – Mets rookie right-hander Nolan McLean kept the magic going after a rough first inning, getting the win in a 12-5 thumping of the Tigers on Tuesday night at Comerica Park.
McLean (4-0, 1.37 ERA) has now won each of his first four career starts – something neither Tom Seaver, Dwight Gooden nor any other player in franchise history accomplished.
Falling behind 2-1 in the first inning didn’t define this outing for McLean, whose heavy-hitting teammates had his back just in case.
Juan Soto belted homer No. 37 and his fifth round-tripper in five games. Pete Alonso went deep twice to raise his homer total to 33. Catcher Luis Torrens hit his fifth of the year, an opposite-field liner off the foul pole in right that scored three runs in a five-run fourth inning against starter Sawyer Gipson-Long.
The Mets reached double digits in runs for the sixth time in the past 21 games.
“I think we’re recognizing hanging breaking balls really well,” said Alonso. “We’re doing damage on heaters really well. We’re doing a good job of letting the borderline pitches go and making pitchers pay when they come over the heart with a pitch.”
Designated hitter Jeff McNeil stroked three singles to drive in three runs. Left fielder Brandon Nimmo also had three singles and scored twice.
The Mets put the game away by scoring six runs off reliever Chris Paddack – who had been starting for Detroit – in the seventh inning.
“It’s just a lot of guys playing with confidence now, trusting each other,” said Mets manager Carlos Mendoza. “It feels like we’ve got the big guys at the top of the lineup. But especially the guys at the bottom, and today was a perfect example.
“With Torrens getting the huge three-run homer with two outs, [Brett] Baty having a really good night [with three hits and one RBI], guys getting on base and Jeff. One through nine, it’s a pretty good lineup, guys controlling the strike zone and doing damage when we have to.”
But back to McLean. He walked two batters in the first inning, and both scored on RBI singles.
McLean had allowed only two runs total in his first three games covering 20 1/3 innings. So had his bubble burst?
Despite allowing six consecutive Tigers to reach base, McLean adjusted to settle down and retire the last 14 hitters he faced. He struck out seven and walked three with three hits over six innings in a quality start.
“Impressive outing for him,” said Mendoza. “The sweeper and the curve, he didn’t have command of those pitches. … He attacked and went to that sinker when he needed to, the changeup when he needed to, and then continued to mix in the sweeper and curveball.
“And before you know it, he’s gone six innings and given you a chance to win a baseball game – another good sign for a kid making just his fourth start. He showed a lot of maturity and has got so many weapons.”
Having six different pitches allows McLean to adjust better than most.
“Confidence is high,” said McLean. “It was my first time throwing to [Torrens] in a game, and he called a great game. We resorted to more four-seam, two-seam [fastballs] type of combo. And once we got ahead, we started going back to the sweeper and curveball for some swing and miss.”
Torrens said of McLean through interpreter Alan Suriel, “He surprises with what he’s been able to do, the adjustments he’s been able to make. He’s been excellent. It’s the attitude he has when he’s on that mound. He has that attitude and that flair of a superstar.”
McLean, New York’s third-round Draft pick from Oklahoma State in 2023, also has the most strikeouts (28) through his first four starts of any Met in history, and he became the first pitcher in MLB to win his first four starts since Chase Anderson of the Diamondbacks in 2014. McLean is the seventh pitcher to accomplish that feat in this century, after Anderson, Gerrit Cole (’13, Pirates), Scott Lewis (’08, Cleveland), Chuck James (’06, Braves), Jered Weaver (’06, Angels) and Kazuhisa Ishii (’02, Dodgers).
Winning your first four starts is no guarantee of future greatness. Anderson was 59-58 with a 4.41 ERA through 2024. However, finding his way through a tough beginning to this start was a good sign for McLean, 24.
“I was proud of the way I competed,” said McLean. “Obviously, first inning didn’t go the way I wanted. But I trusted my stuff and I knew if I could find some pitches later, I was going to be tough to hit.”
