PORT ST. LUCIE – The Mets play the Marlins on Tuesday in Jupiter, but all eyes will be on Miami later this evening – and a little further south.
Nolan McLean will take on the bulk of Team USA’s WBC finals as the 24-year-old looks to build on what has been an encouraging spring.
And with McLean eyeing the Mets both in the spring — and last season after being called up — Carlos Mendoza said this will be the kind of environment the rookie has never seen before.
The most important thing is that the manager is confident that McLean will finish the game unscathed.
“I have mixed emotions,” Mendoza said Monday at Clover Park before the Mets faced the Nationals. “I will not lie.”
The biggest fear among organizations is that a key player will be lost to injury in the tournament, as the Mets know well after Edwin Díaz was ruled out of the 2023 season when he tore the patellar tendon in his knee while celebrating Team Puerto Rico’s victory in that year’s WBC.
But Mendoza also knows how much McLean can benefit from putting in that type of game.
“You represent your country and you are watched by the whole world,” said Mendoza. “This time, he has ‘USA’ on his chest, playing with the best players. It’s going to be intense. That doesn’t mean the intensity isn’t the same at the big league level. Big leagues are big leagues, but this is something different. It’s going to be different than what he faced last year.”
With that comes the concern that he tries to do the most this spring.
“That’s behind the scenes of people and organizations,” Mendoza said. “I’m sure the Pirates feel the same way [Paul] Throwing of bones. … Hold your breath.”
In the end, however, Mendoza is confident McLean will rise to the challenge.
“Regarding his jumping into that position, he has the ropes, he was built for a time like this based on what we saw last year,” he said. “I’ve been around him and I said time has never been too much for him, it will be fun and I’ll be watching.”
Watching, and one more thing: “We will be praying.”
Francisco Lindor felt good Monday, according to Carlos Mendoza, after pitching Sunday in his first Grapefruit League game since undergoing hamstring surgery last month.
The shortstop was a full participant in Monday’s practice. If he doesn’t report anything wrong, Mendoza said Lindor will play Tuesday in Jupiter and start back-to-back games on the days following Wednesday’s team.
Carson Benge is still trying to earn a spot on the opening day roster and start Monday’s game in right field.
Mendoza and the front office declined to tip their hands about the top chances of making the team out of spring training.
“He has to keep playing his game,” said Mendoza.” A lot can happen on Opening Day. He did everything we asked him to do. He doesn’t have to do anything extra. Let’s just make a decision.”
