CINCINNATI — Mets’ Nolan McLean Shines in Victory Against Reds

In an otherwise uncertain Mets rotation, Nolan McLean stands out as a reliable option—at least on some days. However, he hasn’t always been able to keep pitch counts down, leading to fewer innings pitched.

Wednesday marked a strong outing for the rookie right-hander, who threw strikes effectively and matched his longest start of the season. The Mets secured a decisive 9-1 victory against the Reds at Great American Ball Park.

That game saw the Mets collect a total of 15 hits, allowing them to avoid a series sweep and claim a comfortable win by the mid-game point.

In contrast to McLean’s solid performance, both Tobias Myers and Kouhiro Chiga struggled in their outings, contributing to the Mets’ losses in the series’ previous two games.

McLean managed to pitch seven innings—his third time reaching that mark this season—giving up one earned run on three hits while walking one and striking out nine. He tossed 101 pitches, a season high for him.

On the offensive front, the Mets kept the momentum going with Bo Bichette leading the charge, recording three hits in four at-bats and reaching base in the fourth inning. Both Juan Soto and Francisco Alvarez also added three hits each to the tally.

In the third inning, the Mets capitalized against left-hander Nick Lodolo, sending eight batters to the plate and scoring three runs off four hits coupled with a walk. Soto, Marcus Semien, and Mark Vientos crossed home plate quickly, establishing a 3-0 lead thanks to a rally sparked by an infield hit from Luis Torrence and a walk to Bichette.

However, the Reds responded in the bottom of the inning. A misplay by Vientos, who mishandled Zach Short’s throw to first, allowed the Reds to score an unearned run via JJ Brady’s sacrifice fly. McLean did allow a double to Matt McLean, but Soto managed to rein in a hit from Edwin Arroyo in left field.

Bichette ignited another scoring opportunity with a single in the fifth. Following singles from Soto and Semien that loaded the bases, Vientos drove in a run with a sacrifice fly, widening their lead to 4-1. Alvarez then added an RBI single, and AJ Ewing contributed a two-run double, stretching the Mets’ lead to 7-1.

To cap off a brilliant afternoon, Bichette hit another RBI single in the eighth, followed by Soto’s double, bringing the final score to 9-1.