Nolan Mclean has given the New York Mets almost exactly what they have needed from him in his first stretch in the majors: another chance to stay close. The right-hander is set to face the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday, carrying a run of consistency into a matchup with a lineup that has already reminded the Mets what kind of margin for error they have.
McLean has allowed two or fewer earned runs in 10 of his 11 career starts going back to last season, and he has done it in all three of his starts this year. He is 1-1 with a 2.70 ERA, and his last outing showed how far he can go when his pitches are working. On Thursday, McLean gave up two runs on three hits over 6 1/3 innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks, struck out eight and walked two, and threw a career-high 100 pitches in a game the Mets lost.
That steadiness matters now because the Dodgers arrive with the kind of start that makes every inning feel heavier. They were 12-4 to open the season and blanked the Mets 4-0 in Monday’s series opener behind Andy Pages’ three-run home run and eight scoreless innings from Justin Wrobleski. Tuesday’s game will put McLean in front of a club that has already shown power, depth and the ability to take a game out of reach quickly.
The test is sharpened further by who is on the mound for Los Angeles. Yoshinobu Yamamoto is scheduled to start for the Dodgers, and he comes in 2-1 with a 2.50 ERA after allowing one run on five hits and a walk with six strikeouts over six innings against the Toronto Blue Jays on April 7. The start will be his second career regular-season appearance against the Mets, after he allowed four runs, three earned, over six innings in a no-decision against them in April 2024.
Yamamoto’s resume only adds to the challenge. He won Games 6 and 7 of last year’s World Series, and the Dodgers have leaned on that kind of top-end pitching while building the league-best start that has made them look like the team to beat. McLean has earned his way into this spot by limiting damage almost every time out. Against the Dodgers, that may not be enough unless he does it again.
