The signs were there. Sean Manaea was a prime regression candidate, Kodai Senga faced serious durability concerns in 2024 (10 1/3 innings pitched in regular season and playoffs), Clay Holmes was unlikely to ever be a workhorse after spending the last several years of his career as a reliever and Frankie Montas has not been a productive hurler since the first half of 2022. The New York Mets' starting pitching rotation appeared doomed before the new campaign even began.
Following an initial wave of collective dominance, the cracks started forming. A severe rupture then occurred, which contributed to the club's plunge in the National League standings. Though, thanks to a trio of rookie right-handers, the Mets are still holding onto a playoff slot with nine games remaining in the regular season. There is a realistic possibility they end up sparing Flushing from one of the most catastrophic outcomes in modern MLB history.
Nolan McLean, Brandon Sproat and Jonah Tong, all of whom made their MLB debuts within three weeks of each other, have combined to pitch 17 scoreless innings of 15-hit ball with 18 strikeouts and two walks in their most recent starts, via SNY. This youthful revolution is not adding energy into the clubhouse. It is desperately needed.
Can the desperate Mets trust their youngsters to push them into the playoffs?
Although their arrivals have not fixed all the Mets' problems — the team lost eight straight games earlier this month before Pete Alonso erupted — they are coming through when it matters most. McLean has been terrific since debuting on Aug. 16, posting a 4-1 record with a 1.19 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 37 2/3 innings of work. He has tossed at least five innings in all six of his starts, immediately conducting himself like a modern ace. If New York (79-74) maintains its two-game lead over both the Cincinnati Reds and Arizona Diamondbacks and claims the final Wild Card slot, the 24-year-old will be a major reason why.
Sproat is also providing a big boost, allowing only three runs on nine hits in 12 innings. Tong has been more erratic in his four outings, surrendering six runs to the Texas Rangers on Sept. 12, while also shutting out the San Diego Padres for five frames on Thursday. These three pitchers each offer their own brand of promise, and New York is hoping to benefit for a long time.
Trusting three inexperienced talents to take the mound in high-pressure situations down the stretch and potentially in October is certainly not ideal, and it probably could have been avoided if president of baseball operations David Stearns made some different choices in the offseason, but it is making for a solid backup plan at the moment.
The Mets welcome the Washington Nationals (62-91) into Citi Field for a three-game set this weekend. Brandon Sproat will start on Friday and Nolan McLean will try to clinch the series on Saturday.
