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Mets' emerging ace receives bold prediction for postseason

Originally posted on New York Mets on SI
By Kenneth Teape | Last updated Aug 30, 2025 1:00 PM ET

Although the New York Mets' playoff positioning was in question at one point, they have been able to stabilize and get back on track over the last two weeks.

Since August 16, the Mets have gone 9-4, which includes a sweep of their National League East rivals, the Philadelphia Phillies, who they are chasing down in the standings. That span is also when star pitching prospect Nolan McLean was called up to the major leagues, which may not be a coincidence.

McLean responded as well as anyone could have hoped. In his big-league debut against the Seattle Mariners, he threw 5.1 shutout innings, allowing only two hits and striking out eight batters. His next start against the Atlanta Braves featured more dominance, as the 24-year-old tossed seven innings of two-run ball against one of New York's hated rivals; McLean allowed only four hits and struck out seven to make some history in the process.

Finally, McLean's third start came in the series finale against the Phillies. With New York looking for the sweep, he dominated again, working eight shutout innings. He didn’t walk a single batter for the second straight outing while striking out six and allowing only four hits. It led to him reaching plateaus in his first three starts that haven’t been reached by a rookie since Randy Johnson in 1988.

Could Nolan McLean be the Mets' Game 1 playoff starter?

Taking the baseball world by storm, McLean is going to be an integral part in the Mets’ success down the stretch. His performance could have been what led to the team promoting fellow top pitching prospect Jonah Tong, who made his debut on Friday against the Miami Marlins. What could be next for the young right-hander?

Should New York make the postseason, Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report believes it will be McLean taking the mound for their first playoff game. He shared a bold prediction for every division down the stretch, and his prediction for the NL East focused on the Mets and their star rookie.

“It's likely that the 24-year-old's next two starts will come on the road against Detroit and Philadelphia. And if McLean continues to shove against those teams, don't you just about have to put him out there in the first game of the postseason?” Miller wrote.

There are other options for manager Carlos Mendoza to consider. David Peterson has been the team’s most consistent starting pitcher all year. Kodai Senga has thrown like an ace at times, but has struggled over the last few months after injuring his hamstring and returning.

It would be a lot of pressure on McLean to take the ball in the first postseason game, but there has been nothing to suggest he cannot handle said pressure with how well he has performed through his first three starts, which has included strong competition. His next two starts (as Miller pointed out) will come against two playoff teams, and if the 24-year-old righty continues to impress, he can very well become the new ace of the Mets' staff in October.

This article first appeared on New York Mets on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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