New York Mets starting pitcher Nolan McLean will get the ball for Team USA’s group-stage finale against Italy on Tuesday, American manager Mark DeRosa disclosed.
The 24-year-old right-hander, who burst onto the scene in his eight-start, late-season MLB debut, was not with Team USA in Arizona on Monday, as he was still with the Mets, dealing with an illness.
It is unknown at this time if DeRosa will have to shuffle his rotation because of that.
The Americans begin the 2026 WBC on Friday against Brazil in Houston, with San Francisco Giants starter Logan Webb getting the ball.
Two-time defending American League Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal, of the Detroit Tigers, will throw roughly 55 pitches in their second game against Great Britain on Saturday. That will be the only appearance he’ll make at the tournament, though, as he will then return to the AL Central club’s facilities for the remainder of the spring.
Defending NL Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates will toe the rubber on Monday against Mexico.
The top two teams in each of the three groups will advance to the knockout stages of the competition.
While Skubal is only making one start, Skenes and McLean will likely make two. Fellow Mets starter Clay Holmes could potentially factor in later on in the tournament. The veteran right-hander has already stretched out to four ups and 60 pitches in spring training — well ahead of most of his peers — in preparation for the WBC.
