Nolan McLean bounces back in Chicago, then turns a bases-loaded scare into six scoreless innings

After a rough May 19 outing that included an inside-the-park grand slam, Nolan McLean is showing a sharp response when the Mets need outs most, leaning on poise and command to get through high-leverage traffic.

By The Apex Times Newsroom2 min readAI-assisted Apex article

In Chicago, Nolan McLean turned in a steady start that became even more significant because of what came before it. The Mets pitcher worked six scoreless innings, and in the middle frames he smothered a bases-loaded jam, a sequence the organization and coaches will point to as an example of handling pressure without forcing answers.

The context traces back to a May 19 game in which McLean, at the time, endured the toughest start of his career up to that point. In that outing against the Nationals, he allowed an inside-the-park grand slam to James Wood, a play that combined damage and a rare “everything went wrong” feel, at least in one moment.

From there, the story the Mets are now able to tell is about what improved. After that May 19 stretch, McLean has been “almost unhittable” with runners on the bases, particularly in the moments when the count and situation typically magnify hitter confidence. The point is not that he has avoided every dangerous pitch, but that when runners reached, he delivered the key outs rather than allowing the big swing.

In the Chicago start, the bases-loaded threat came during a time when an inning can quickly flip from scoreless to a multi-run deficit. Instead of getting pulled into the traffic with predictable patterns, McLean used the kind of control that keeps runners from taking over the at-bat, allowing the Mets to remain in control of the tempo.

Six scoreless innings also matter for more than just the ledger. For a bullpen, starters who reach deep and preserve clean innings reduce the number of times late-inning leverage needs to be chased. For the Mets, that translates into more options later in the series and less reliance on relievers being perfect under immediate, repeated pressure.

James Wood’s role in the May 19 reminder underscores why the “bases-loaded” theme is not a throwaway. Wood is the type of power-oriented hitter who can change the scale of an inning with one swing, and the Mets’ focus now is on preventing a repeat of innings that feel like they can unravel in a single highlight.

What to watch next is whether McLean can keep separating his performance across scenarios, especially when the opposition manufactures traffic. If the pattern holds, his value for the Mets grows beyond any single start, because turning bases-loaded jams into routine outs is the kind of repeatable skill teams build playoff-ready rotations around.

Why It Matters

Bases-loaded situations are where games often swing quickly, and McLean’s ability to escape cleanly protects the Mets’ chances late in games.
A scoreless start of six innings can reduce bullpen strain and preserve late-inning options.
The comparison to the May 19 inside-the-park grand slam frames McLean’s performance as a real adjustment rather than an isolated good stretch.
If McLean’s high-leverage success continues, it strengthens the Mets’ path to consistent starting pitching as they play deeper into the season.

Sources

Key Facts

Nolan McLean delivered six scoreless innings in a Chicago start.
The same game included McLean handling a bases-loaded jam.
On May 19, McLean allowed an inside-the-park grand slam to James Wood against the Nationals.
Up to that point, the May 19 outing was described as the worst of McLean’s career at the time.
Since the May 19 game, McLean has been described as almost unhittable with the bases loaded.