Mets 24-Year-Old Rookie Pitcher Struggling to Replicate Early-Season Dominance in 2026
Nolan McLean looked like a superstar and the future ace of the Mets. However, he lately hasn't looked like the same dominant pitcher he was early in the 2026 season or during his debut last year. He possesses the repertoire of a nasty, ace-like starter, boasting an explosive fastball alongside sharp breaking and offspeed pitches. Recently, the righty has struggled with his command, especially with his secondary stuff, failing to locate those pitches for strikes and leaving them over the middle of the plate. When he is right, he commands the strike zone, generating a great vertical break that forces hitters to chase for strikeouts or leaves them looking like they're trying to hit a wiffle ball.
McLean made his MLB debut last year during the 2025 season, right when the Mets were fighting for a postseason berth. He was desperately needed to fill a hole in the starting rotation created by the struggles of veteran Frankie Montas. Across eight starts, the rookie threw 48 innings and posted a stellar 2.06 ERA. Plus, he delivered in high-stakes games down the stretch to help push his team into the playoffs.
During the 2025 offseason, the Mets traded for Brewers ace Freddy Peralta. This high-profile move, alongside the emergence of converted-reliever-turned-starter Clay Holmes, successfully took the pressure off McLean to lead the staff. Still, McLean entered the 2026 season facing questions about whether he could sustain his rookie dominance. Because he had only made eight major league starts, opposing teams now had the tape to make adjustments to him. Furthermore, up to this point, his career had been smooth sailing; the real test would be how he handles his first true taste of adversity and whether he can make the necessary counter-adjustments.
McLean continued his dominant pitching to start the 2026 campaign. Through nine starts, he logged 47.1 innings while posting a 2.92 ERA, 56 strikeouts, and a stellar 0.96 WHIP. However, he has struggled lately, particularly in back-to-back outings against the Nationals and the Reds. In his start against Washington, he faltered for the first time in his career, giving up nine runs, six of them earned, in 5.2 innings. In his very next turn, he surrendered seven runs, all earned, in just 3.1 innings, marking the shortest outing of his brief MLB career. Despite these recent setbacks, he still maintains a 3-4 record, 82 strikeouts, and an ERA under four at 3.98 across 13 starts and 72.1 innings.
