Mets loss is dwarfed by scary collision between McLean and Young

The Mets lost to the Phillies tonight 3-0, but the loss paled in comparison to the frightening collision between Nolan McLean and Jared Young that left Young crumpled on the field before being removed by EMS on a backboard. He was taken to the hospital, and the Mets have confirmed that he has feeling in, and full use of, his extremities. Nevertheless, the accident was an abrupt reminder of the very human side of the game and bigger priorities we all share.

With two outs at the top of the first inning, Bryce Harper knocked a ground ball into center field for a single. McLean walked Luis Arraez on four pitches, but the scoring threat ended when Alec Bohm grounded into a force out for the third out. At the bottom of the inning, Juan Soto walked with one out, but was picked off by Aaron Nola, and Bo Bichette then struck out for the third out.

Bryson Stott singled on an infield hit to lead off the second inning, but the top of the inning ended when Justin Crawford grounded into a double play. Nola retired the Mets’ batters in order in the bottom of the second, and the score remained 0-0 through the first two innings. McLean and Nola both worked 1-2-3 innings in the third. Harper socked a fly ball single into right field to lead off the fourth inning, but was stranded there when McLean retired the next three batters in order. Francisco Lindor bunted, but grounded out to lead off the bottom of the inning. Soto drew another walk, but unfortunately Bichette grounded into a double play to end the inning. The score was still 0-0.

At the top of the fifth, Brandon Marsh smacked a fly ball into right field in front of multiple defenders, reaching first base in the process. Crawford laid down a sacrifice bunt that moved Marsh to second base, and Garrett Stubbs grounded out, allowing Marsh to reach third. McLean then walked Kyle Schwarber and Trea Turner to load the bases. Harper initially was ruled to have grounded into a force out at second base, but the Phillies challenged the ruling, and it was overturned. Instead, it was an RBI hit, and the Phillies scored the first run of the game. The Mets again went down in order at the bottom of the fifth inning, and the score was Phillies 1, Mets 0.

The top of the sixth inning started inauspiciously. Bohm hit an infield single to third base and reached second on a sac bunt by Stott. Marsh flied out to Ewing in center field for the second out. And then it took some time to understand what happened next. Crawford dribbled a hit up the first-base line. McLean ran to cover and grab the ball, but Young seemed to realize that the ball was close to him as well and stretched to grab it off the ground. The ensuing collision between the two left Young on the ground for several minutes as EMS used the backboard. McLean was deeply shaken, yet he assured Andy Green that he was going to finish the inning. He struck out the next batter for the third out.

At the bottom of the sixth inning, Brett Baty walked with one out, and Nick Morabito broke up Nola’s no-hitter with a single to left field. However, Lindor grounded into a double play to end the sixth inning. Tobias Myers replaced McLean at the top of the seventh inning. He gave up a walk to Turner, who reached third base on a throwing error by Francisco Alvarez. Alvarez had been attempting to catch Turner stealing at first base. Harper walked as well, and Arraez drove in Turner on a sacrifice fly. At the bottom of the seventh, Carson Benge slapped a one-out single into center field. Mark Vientos, who had come in for Young, followed by lining a single into center field as well. A.J. Ewing grounded out to end the seventh inning with the runners stranded, though, and the score was Phillies 2, Mets 0.

Stott led off the eighth inning with a double into right field that Benge could not quite get his glove on, and Brandon Marsh laid down yet another sacrifice bunt to get Stott to third. Crawford scored Stott on the sac fly. Jonathan Bowlan replaced Aaron Nola in the bottom of the eighth inning and walked Baty with one out. However, he was experiencing a lower body injury issue, and Tim Mayza replaced him after two outs, during Lindor’s at-bat. Mayza walked Lindor, but Soto grounded out to end the eighth, and the score was now Phillies 3, Mets 0.

Austin Warren replaced Myers at the top of the ninth inning and retired the Phillies batters in order. Phillies’ closer Jhoan Duran came out for the bottom of the ninth. Bichette swatted a line drive into center field for a single, but Duran retired the next three batters to end the game 3-o.

Game two of the series is tomorrow at 7:15 PM. Zac Thornton will pitch for the Mets against TBD for the Phillies.

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What’s WPA?

Big Mets winner: Nolan McLean, +17% WPA
Big Mets loser: Francisco Lindor, -18% WPA
Mets pitchers: +4% WPA
Mets hitters: -54% WPA
Teh aw3s0mest play: Nick Morabito single, 6.3% WPA
Teh sux0rest play: Francisco Lindor grounds into double play, -15.5% WPA