Nolan McLean proved he can still dominate on the mound, yet the New York Mets’ offense failed to show up for the win. The rookie pitcher gave up just one hit and one run over six innings against the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday night. Despite his strong effort, the team lost 4-0 at Truist Park. This loss marks the second defeat in eight games during their current road trip. The bats were completely silent when they needed to be loud. McLean retired 16 straight batters to start the game before Ozzie Albies hit a solo homer in the fifth. That single home run was all the Braves needed to secure the victory.
McLean’s Workload Is No Accident
McLean has extended his season total to a career-high 136 2/3 innings. This number is huge for a rookie who only pitched 113 2/3 innings total last year. He is clearly in shape and ready to handle the stress of August baseball. McLean credited his routine for his sharp performance in the dugout. “I think a lot of it is working out in between your starts, not changing the routine even if you don’t feel the best,” McLean said. He noted that he focuses on the weight room to keep his strength up. Interim manager Andy Green praised the young pitcher’s effort after the game. Green noted that McLean might have pitched deeper if the score was different. “[But] he’s thrown a lot of pitches his last number of outings, so 85 pitches, six innings, one run and one hit, that’s a good day’s work for him in August in his first year,” Green said. The stats show he has a 3.42 ERA across 24 starts this season.
The Lineup Must Wake Up Now
The real story here is not the pitching; it is the lack of runs. The Mets had averaged 7.1 runs over the previous seven games before this shutout. Pittsburgh also shut them out during their other defeat on this trip. Lefty MartÃn Pérez stifled the New York hitters completely. The Braves shortstop Jim Jarvis even turned a double play to end an inning early. A.J. Ewing made a diving catch in left field to stop Mauricio Dubón from getting a hit. McLean celebrated that play, but it did not change the final score. The offense has no excuse for being this quiet. McLean knows the team needs to improve their approach. “There’s still a lot of work to do,” McLean said. He emphasized that every lineup is different and requires new adjustments.
The Mets are still several games out of the playoff hunt, according to reports. Though they face a division rival with a chance to play spoiler, scoring first is essential. The pitching staff is ready to carry the team if the hitters just do their job. McLean will face Atlanta again soon with a 2-0 record against them this year.
Sources: NY Post Sports
