Nolan McLean makes first start since collision with Jared Young

Nolan McLean made his first start since a collision with Jared Young, MLB.com's Anthony DiComo reported, with McLean describing the incident as "traumatizing" — and noting that knowing Young came through it okay was what allowed him to move forward.

What happened

McLean returned to the Mets' lineup for the first time since the collision with Young, per DiComo's reporting for MLB.com. The piece centers on McLean's emotional processing of the incident: the relief of knowing Young was not seriously hurt, and what that knowledge meant for McLean's ability to get back on the field. The word "traumatizing" is McLean's own, as attributed by DiComo.

DiComo's reporting does not specify the exact date of the collision, the nature of any injuries sustained by either player, or the precise number of games McLean missed. What it does establish is that the gap between the incident and this start was meaningful enough — to McLean, to the Mets, and apparently to DiComo's editors — to warrant a feature-length treatment rather than a one-line lineup note.

Why it matters

There is a version of this story that is purely operational: a player missed time, a player returned, the lineup card was updated. But DiComo's framing makes clear this one carried more weight than a standard absence. Collisions on the field occupy a particular psychological space in baseball — they are sudden, they are violent in the way that accidents are violent, and they involve a teammate. The fact that McLean's return was conditioned, at least in part, on learning that Young was alright says something about how these moments linger even after the physical recovery is complete.

For a Mets club that has spent much of 2026 navigating a crowded injury ledger, McLean's return is a small piece of good news. Christian Scott's season ended with knee inflammation, per earlier Posterior Wire reporting, and the roster has seen its share of shuffling in recent weeks. A player returning from any kind of absence — even one rooted as much in the psychological aftermath of a collision as in any physical recovery — is a net positive for a team working through the final stretch of a long year.

The numbers

The Mets enter Thursday at 73-85 (.462), sitting 5th in the NL East and 20 games back in the division. They have been eliminated from both the division race and the Wild Card race, where they rank 10th, 14.0 games relative to the cut line. The one bright spot on the ledger at the moment is a two-game winning streak — modest, but real.

Where the club stands

With the postseason mathematically out of reach, the final week of the regular season is less about standings and more about the kind of organizational inventory that happens when the pressure gauge drops to zero. Who is healthy? Who can handle a start? Who needs innings, and who needs rest?

Thursday's game at Globe Life Field against the Texas Rangers has Zac Thornton lined up against Kumar Rocker. The Mets then travel to Washington for back-to-back games at Nationals Park on Friday and Saturday — Andrew Alvarez and Jake Irvin are the listed probables for the Nationals on those days, while the Mets' starters for both games remain to be determined.

McLean's return to the lineup fits neatly into this end-of-season accounting. September rosters expand to 28 players under current league rules, which gives clubs the flexibility to carry additional position players and get meaningful at-bats to players who might otherwise be watching from the bench. Whether McLean's start is part of a deliberate look-ahead plan or simply the result of him being ready to play again, DiComo's reporting does not say — and the desk will not speculate.

Is Jared Young okay?

Per DiComo's reporting, McLean indicated that knowing Young was alright was what enabled him to move on from the incident. DiComo's piece does not detail Young's current status beyond that framing, and no separate injury report or transaction involving Young appears in the material available to the desk.

What we don't know yet

DiComo's reporting leaves several questions open. The date of the original collision is not specified. The number of games McLean missed is not given. Whether either player required any formal medical evaluation, placement on an injured list, or other roster action is not addressed. DiComo's piece is focused on the human and emotional dimension of the return, not the administrative trail — which is a legitimate editorial choice, and one that leaves the operational details for another day.

It is also worth noting that the Mets' front office is in a period of transition. Earlier this week, Andy Green was officially named manager on a 3-year contract, and the club is reportedly close to adding former Twins president of baseball operations Derek Falvey to a significant front office role, per earlier Posterior Wire reporting. How those organizational changes affect roster decisions in the final days of the season — including how playing time is allocated to players like McLean — is not something the current material addresses.

Without drawing a causal line, it is also worth noting that the Mets claimed left-handed pitcher Philip Abner off waivers from the Giants earlier this week, per earlier Posterior Wire reporting. Abner was designated for assignment by San Francisco and has options remaining. Roster construction in late September tends to involve a lot of moving parts, and the McLean situation is one thread among several.

What to watch

The most immediate question is straightforward: how McLean performs in the starts he gets over the final days of the regular season, and whether the Mets use this window to get a longer look at him heading into the offseason. DiComo's piece suggests the psychological hurdle of returning has been cleared — McLean said so himself. The baseball part, as always, follows from there.

For those tracking the broader Mets picture, the Washington series this weekend offers a low-stakes but genuinely useful opportunity to see what the club has at the margins of its roster. With two starting pitcher slots still listed as TBD for Friday and Saturday, there may be additional names to watch beyond McLean before the regular season closes out.

The desk will update as the lineup cards come in.