How Might McLean and Sproat Factor Into Mets’ Stretch Run?

At the Trade Deadline, the Mets strengthened the back end of their pitching staff with the acquisitions of Ryan Helsley and Tyler Rogers. However, they made no moves to bolster a starting rotation that has recently looked like a shadow of its former self—but that decision was no accident.

When Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns was asked about the starting pitching market in a press conference after the Trade Deadline, he said they might have made a move if the right deal had been available.

“We saw there were some starting pitchers that were traded, and not every pitcher who was rumored to be available was ultimately moved. We were engaged throughout,” Stearns said. “We are really happy with the arms we were able to acquire, who are going to pitch out of our ‘pen.

More importantly, Stearns spoke on how content he is with the Mets’ current organizational starting pitching talent.

“We have confidence in the starters, not only who are here, who will keep us competitive and help us win games, but also pleased with the development of some of the guys in Triple-A who are progressing. We understand that they could, not definitely, but they could be part of the mix going forward if needed.”

If more pitching is needed in the final two months of the season, the answer may be in Triple-A. Nolan McLean and Brandon Sproat, two of the organization’s most advanced pitching prospects, could soon be asked to contribute at the big-league level.

“They can help,” Stearns said when specifically asked about McLean and Sproat. “Both of those guys have taken very nice steps forward in their development….We’re going to continue to ask them to get better and work on things. They’re doing a good job. If we need someone from Triple-A, we’ve got people down there, and they are certainly among them who can help us.”

McLean, 24, has put together an excellent season across Double-A and Triple-A. Through 11 starts in Triple-A, he’s recorded a 3.01 ERA over 77 2/3 innings, striking out 83 while walking just 32. His WHIP sits at 1.12 with Syracuse, and he’s allowed only seven home runs. After dominating in Binghamton with a 1.37 ERA in five starts, he’s adjusted well to the jump in competition at Syracuse. His most recent outings have been especially sharp, including a six-inning, 10-strikeout effort where he posted a 43 percent whiff rate. In terms of consistency, command, and ability to generate swings and misses, McLean has shown just about everything the Mets could have hoped for this season.

Sproat’s path has been a little more complicated, but his current form is probably the most impressive of any pitcher in the Mets’ system. After a rocky start in Triple-A—his ERA was sitting above 6.50 in mid-May—the 24-year-old righty has completely flipped the script over the last several weeks. He’s allowed just two earned runs in his last 33 innings, a stretch that included an 18-inning scoreless streak and several outings with high strikeout numbers. In July, he’s fanned 39 while giving up just eight free passes.

Though his overall ERA in Triple-A still sits at 4.07, that number is steadily decreasing. He looks like an entirely different pitcher than the one who struggled with command and fastball life earlier in the year. He has dramatically reduced his walk rate and is throwing significantly more first-pitch strikes, a positive sign after some early control issues.

The key question now is how the Mets plan to manage their pitching staff down the stretch. They will face a brutal stretch of 26 games in 27 days, and while the rotation has held up, it’s been pushed to its limits. Griffin Canning and Tylor Megill, for example, are both sidelined with the former already out for the season.

In addition to injury woes, several of the Mets’ top pitchers have struggled to provide length. Clay Holmes hasn’t completed six innings since June 7. Sean Manaea has yet to pitch beyond five innings in any of his four starts. And while Kodai Senga still boasts a sparkling 2.31 ERA, he’s struggled to find efficiency since returning from injury, averaging 19 pitches per inning in that span. In fact, since Holmes on June 7, no Mets starter other than David Peterson has completed six full innings.

Plus, shorter-term solutions like Frankie Montas and Paul Blackburn have underperformed this season. Blackburn is now set to receive another shot at the big-league level. The veteran right-hander appears to be next in line for a call-up after completing his final rehab start at Triple-A Syracuse on Saturday, where he allowed two runs over 5 2/3 solid innings. His time in Queens has been rocky—he’s pitched to a 6.28 ERA across parts of the 2024 and 2025 seasons—the Mets appear to be willing to give him one last look before turning to one of their younger arms. His presence could temporarily delay the major-league debut of either McLean or Sproat, but if he struggles again, the Mets may have little choice but to dip into their higher-upside depth.

It feels unlikely that the Mets can manage these long stretches without at least one spot start or long-relief appearance from a depth arm. Injuries, unfortunately, are inevitable.

At the deadline, Stearns chose not to acquire any starting pitchers, instead bringing in Helsley, Rogers, and Gregory Soto. Although that gives manager Carlos Mendoza more options late in games, it doesn’t solve the issue of the middle innings, especially if a starter exits early or the team encounters another injury. That’s where McLean or Sproat could become real considerations.

McLean leans on a fastball that sits in the mid-90s and a plus-plus slider with sharp horizontal bite, a pitch that is often referred to by scouts as a “big-league-ready sweeper.” Sproat, meanwhile, pairs a high-90s fastball with a power slider. His success in July has come largely from commanding the fastball better and getting ahead in counts.

Neither is on the 40-man roster yet, and the Mets have shown no real urgency to change that, but if one more arm goes down—or if six-inning starts continue to be a rarity—both right-handers offer upside that’s nearly impossible to find externally in August. They give the Mets a way to preserve their key relievers while still competing for a playoff spot. McLean’s big-league sweeper and consistency make him a candidate to step into a rotation spot, while Sproat’s hot hand and recent whiff rates could play well in shorter outings if the Mets do opt for a relief look.

Stearns made it clear before the Trade Deadline that while the front office was going to be aggressive in acquiring proven relievers, there is still a chance that help could come from within. Asked whether McLean or Sproat might be in the mix, Stearns acknowledged that the club is monitoring both closely. However, he also cautioned that turning a starter into a reliever midseason comes with risk, particularly for pitchers the organization views as long-term rotation pieces.

“Once we shorten someone up to give them a chance to be a member of our pen, it’s really tough to build them back up if you need them as a starter. So we want to be very cautious if we entertain that.” Stearns said before the Deadline.

The Mets are walking a fine line. A premature call-up could stall development or expose McLean or Sproat to big-league hitters before they’re fully ready. But waiting too long might mean missing a chance to reinforce a playoff push with two arms already proving they can get outs at the highest minor-league level.

Still, the Mets haven’t committed to using either. Their plan looks as if it is to develop them as starters. But in a year where innings are scarce and the bullpen has been tested, the Mets’ Triple-A arms may become necessities.

The organization cannot take any shortcuts. Both pitchers are currently being developed as starters, and Stearns has emphasized that they’ll remain in those roles until there’s a specific need or plan in place to do otherwise. In the meantime, both will continue to build innings in Syracuse. However, with a taxed pitching staff and a competitive wildcard race, it wouldn’t be surprising to see either called upon before the end of the season.

The post How Might McLean and Sproat Factor Into Mets’ Stretch Run? appeared first on Metsmerized Online.