Nolan McLean throws 6 shutout innings in Mets' 3-0 win vs. Blue Jays

Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News on Jun 30, 2026

Published in Baseball

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The catching crew supplied most of the Mets‘ offense Tuesday night in Toronto. It’s not how the Mets envisioned winning a game, but they’ll take wins how they come right now.

Francisco Alvarez and Luis Torrens each hit homers, while right-hander Nolan McLean tossed six shutout innings in a 3-0 win over the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. The series is even at one game each, with a Canada Day rubber match slated for Wednesday afternoon.

It was McLean’s first true shutout outing of the season. He threw seven innings in Cincinnati two weeks ago, allowing only one unearned run, but otherwise has been inconsistent as of late. It’s typical of rookies to slump and struggle at different points throughout the season, and it’s tricky for someone like McLean to navigate a lineup with the way his pitches spin.

His stuff can be unhittable at times, but when his pitches spin right through the zone, hitters can be inclined to lay off of them, forcing him to throw more. A month ago, he walked five hitters in a win over the Miami Marlins, and he was visibly frustrated in the dugout after he came out of the game.

Against the Blue Jays (40-46), McLean used his curveball more than he typically does. It was effective; of his seven strikeouts, three came off his curveball. The Toronto lineup managed five hits off him, and he walked only two hitters.

McLean (5-5) has allowed two or fewer runs in five of his last six starts. His last was one he’d probably like to forget — a six-run outing in a loss to the Chicago Cubs — but unlike the last time McLean blew up, he was effectively able to turn the page this time. The rookie was impressive, going toe-to-toe with veteran right-hander Kevin Gausman.

It was enough to protect a 1-0 lead. The Mets went 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position, an area of their game that continues to confound them.

Alvarez took Gausman (4-7) 415 feet to dead center to lead off the fifth, his ninth of the season. The Mets (36-50) put two on with two out, but Gausman was able to get out of the inning by getting his former teammate, Bo Bichette, to pop up to center field. Torrens hit one over the fence for only the second time this season, driving one to left field off left-hander Mason Fluharty with one out in the seventh.

A lead allowed the Mets to use their high-leverage relief group, going to left-hander Brooks Raley, then right-handers Luke Weaver and Devin Williams (12th save) to close out. This part of the game was, actually, how the Mets envisioned winning games.

The Mets padded the bullpen’s lead in the top of the ninth, manufacturing an insurance run off right-hander Tommy Nance. A walk by Torrens forced the Blue Jays to make another pitching change for the third out.