Righty Nolan McLean confirmed that he is ready to join Team USA for the World Baseball Classic during a press conference on Wednesday at the New York Mets spring training facility. He added that he felt “pretty good” getting back on the mound after dealing with vertigo this past weekend.
“Almost too loose at times, which I guess is a good thing,” McLean said. “Felt a little erratic. I think I was fired up to get out of there.”
He was scheduled to leave the Mets’ spring training camp on Friday to join Team USA, but the injury set him slightly back. After recovering, he threw live pitches during practice en route to likely joining the team in Houston for their first game on March 6.
“I had no symptoms out there throwing, which I think is the ultimate test,” McLean added. “Hopefully, I can leave here in the next day or so.”
High Pressure Competition
Some have set lofty expectations for Nolan McLean this season following a 5–1 rookie campaign. But first, he will join Team USA on their journey for a gold medal. Additionally, he will team up with Clay Holmes, Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes to form a formidable rotation.
“We’ve got a bunch of Cy Youngs in that building, so it will be cool getting to learn from them, see how they handle everything, and watch from afar,” McLean said.
Nolan McLean is scheduled to pitch in the final pool play game against Team Italy on March 10. He is also slated to start in the championship game if Team USA advances through the tournament. Defending champion Japan is expected to defend its crown in the championship round. But this shouldn’t scare a tried and true competitor like McLean.
“I’m just uber-competitive. Whether it’s out there on the backfield or if it’s in the WBC, I try to treat every start the same,” Nolan McLean concluded. “At the end of the day, it’s a competition – me vs the batter. I never want to give in and lose any competition that I’m playing in.”
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