Nolan McLean deals as Mets log 20 hits in 12-7 win against Braves

Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News on Aug 22, 2025

Published in Baseball

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ATLANTA — Nolan McLean wasn’t even alive when the Atlanta Braves won the 1995 World Series, but any pitcher who grew up in the South, like the Mets‘ right-hander did, has undoubtedly heard of the “Big Three” of Tom Glavine, John Smoltz and Greg Maddux.

Friday night at Truist Park, with the trio in attendance, McLean did his best to channel their greatness in only the second big league start of his career. It was an outing that should make them proud, despite the fact that it came against the team for which they used to pitch.

An efficient McLean held the Braves to only two earned runs over seven innings in the Mets’ 12-7 win. It marked the first time since June 7 the Mets have had a starting pitcher other than David Peterson throw six or more innings.

Fourth in the NL East and 9.0 games behind the Philadelphia Phillies, this isn’t exactly the same Braves team that has tormented the Mets over the last few years, However, that hasn’t mattered in the previous matchups this season. Atlanta had the advantage of nostalgia Friday night, as the club celebrated the 30-year anniversary of the 1995 championship team.

But the Braves have long been out of championship contention, and with the Mets desperately clinging to their own playoff hopes, they needed a big performance. They got one from McLean, and a from a lineup missing three of its best hitters.

The Mets beat up on left-hander Joey Wentz (4-4), scoring six earned runs in 3 1/3 innings, and continuing the onslaught against right-hander Erick Fedde, with three off of the right-hander. A 20-hit night for the Mets, every hitter in the starting lineup got a hit, including backup catcher Hayden Senger, just the ninth of his career.

Third on the depth chart, Senger was called up at the start of the Mets’ six-game road trip Tuesday when Francisco Alvarez was placed on the injured list. Senger went 2 for 5 with a career-high three RBIs.

Juan Soto hit his 32nd home run of the season in a 3-for-5 night with two walks. Francisco Lindor went 3 for 5 with two runs and a walk. Tyrone Taylor and Cedric Mullins each had three hits and Brett Baty had a career-high four, going 4 for 5 with a double and three runs scored.

But the real star was McLean (2-0). The offense spotted him a 4-0 lead early, scoring twice in the second inning and two more times in the third. McLean used a 97-mph sinker and a sweeper with some major spin to get ground-ball outs.

He struck out Matt Olson three times, throwing the book at the slugger. In the first inning, he got ahead on Olson right away, 0-2, and went to curveball, another high-spin pitch. Olson took one out of the zone for ball 1, but fouled off another and swung through a third for strike 3.

Trying to extend the inning after Jurickson Profar drove in the Braves’ first run, in his second at-bat, Olson worked the count full before striking out on another curveball. McLean used just about everything to get Olson out in his third at-bat: cutter, fastball, change-up and sinker. He fooled Olson with an elevated cutter.

Ronald Acuña Jr. led off the fourth with a home run, but by then the Mets were already up six runs, 7-1. That was closest the Braves would come. McLean’s final line: Two earned runs on four hits, no walks and seven strikeouts. Not bad for a rookie in a hostile environment.

Maybe the key to the Mets’ success in Atlanta is using a lifelong Braves fan against them.