McLean's Hitting Raps Opening Night for US Team, Thwacks Japan in 7-2 Victory, Sparking Cheers!
Nolan McLean of the Mets will showcase his moxie and potential for Team USA in the 2026 World Baseball Classic final vs. Venezuela on Tuesday.
As Mark DeRosa was putting together the roster for Team USA ahead of the World Baseball Classic, Matt Holliday kept the country's manager's phone ringing. Holliday, one of the United States' assistant coaches and a volunteer assistant at Oklahoma State, wanted to vouch for Nolan McLean's inclusion on the team. "Matt called me multiple times and was like, 'He's built for this,'" DeRosa said during a press conference on Monday.
"After my first conversation with (Nolan), it's certainly like, 'Your heart's got to be 100 percent in this because it grabs you quick. ' "If you don't want that moment, it's going to eat you up. I just think he's built for this, his mindset, his stuff, his want, all of it kind of led to him being a part of this team.
" Not just a part of the U. S. team, but McLean, the 24-year-old Mets rookie right-hander, will start the WBC championship game against Venezuela at 8 p.
m. on Tuesday night at loanDepot Park in Miami. It is a big spot for McLean, who has only eight major league games under his belt, but also opportunity that he is ready to tackle head on.