It’s been a while since New York Mets fans have seen a strong starting rotation, but they’ll be able to see two of their own in March with the news that starters Nolan McLean and Clay Holmes will be joining Team USA in the World Baseball Classic.
The international series kicks off on March 4, and Team USA will play its first game against Brazil on March 6 at Daikin Park in Houston, Texas, according to a report from Robert Colonna of Metsmerized Online.
Both pitchers expressed enthusiasm about joining Team USA, with Holmes representing the proverbial “old head” from the Mets at 32.
“It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, I’ve always to play for Team USA,” Holmes said. “For me, it was an easy yes, and super excited to put the red, white, and blue on, and compete with those guys.”
Team USA’s star-studded staff will be led by Detroit Tigers starter Tarik Skubal, but Holmes provides stability and a track record both a reliever and a starter. He transitioned to the latter role with the Mets last year pitched a career-high 165.2 innings to a 3.53 ERA and 1.30 WHIP.
McLean, meanwhile, will get a chance to learn from these stars as he continues to build his pitching profile as a potential star in his own right. He made his Mets debut in August and pitched 48 innings with a 2.06 ERA and 1.04 WHIP, and he’s being hailed as an ace in waiting.
“I was really passionate about it from the start,” McLean said about joining Team USA. “I wasn’t really expecting to get that nod that early in my career, but it was something I couldn’t turn down.”
Holmes and McLean won’t see their Mets teammates who are playing for other WBC entries, but they’re out there waiting. Outfielder Juan Soto will play for Team Dominican Republic, while shortstop Francisco Lindor will play for team Puerto Rico, and third baseman Mark Vientos has joined Team Nicaragua.
Not all of this will be celebrated, however. The Mets lost then-closer Edwin Diaz in the 2023 WBC when he hurt his knee while celebrating a win after closing a game for Team Puerto Rico against the Dominican Republic, and the injury cost him the entire season.
Seeing McLean on the mound in anything other than a Mets uniform will produce a special kind of agita in the front office, so expect a lot of crossed fingers when the games start.