The New York Mets showcased their prowess with a commanding 5-0 victory over the Houston Astros in West Palm Beach, thanks to a stellar performance from Nolan McLean and the pitching staff. McLean set the tone from the first pitch, delivering a performance that has fans buzzing with anticipation for the upcoming season. While spring training games don't impact standings, this kind of display is exactly what you want to see.
McLean’s Masterclass on the Mound
McLean dazzled over four scoreless innings, barely breaking a sweat. He fired off 56 pitches, with 36 finding the strike zone, underscoring his precision.
Allowing just one hit and one walk while striking out six, McLean mixed a variety of pitches-sinker, four-seamer, cutter, changeup, curveball, and sweeper. His velocity was impressive for this time of year, maxing out at 97.9 mph on his sinker.
Facing a solid Astros lineup, McLean made quick work of their hitters. He struck out two in the first inning, including freezing Zach Cole with a 96 mph sinker and getting Carlos Correa to swing over a nasty curveball.
He continued his dominance with a strikeout in the second inning and ended the third by getting Jeremy Peña to swing at a perfectly placed changeup. McLean wrapped up his outing by striking out Correa again with a changeup and catching Joey Loperfido looking at a sinker.
Offensive Firepower
The Mets’ offense provided McLean with ample support early on. Tyrone Taylor ignited the scoring with a towering three-run homer in the second inning, bringing home Luis Torrens and Jared Young for a 3-0 lead.
Marcus Semien added to the momentum in the third with a solo shot to left-center, finishing his day with two hits in three at-bats, a run scored, and an RBI. Jared Young chipped in with a sacrifice fly in the fourth, bringing home Ronny Mauricio to cap the scoring at 5-0.
Bullpen Dominance
Robert Stock took over in the fifth and maintained the shutout with three scoreless innings. Stock was as dominant as McLean, striking out six without allowing a walk and giving up only one hit. The Astros struggled to connect, stymied by the fastballs and breaking pitches.
The bullpen continued to shine, with Anderson Severino handling the eighth and Ben Simon closing out the ninth to secure the shutout. This victory was a complete team effort from the Mets, showcasing both their pitching depth and offensive power.