Mets' Jared Young exits on stretcher after collision with Nolan McLean
Mets first baseman Jared Young is injured in the 6th inning and stretchered off the field against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field on Thursday. Credit: Newsday/Thomas A. Ferrara
The concern at Citi Field on Thursday night was over something much more important than a baseball game.
Mets first baseman Jared Young was carted off on a stretcher after a scary collision with pitcher Nolan McLean, whose right knee hit Young’s head in the sixth inning of a 3-0 loss to the Phillies.
Young, who went to the hospital during the game, has full use of his extremities and “it feels at this point in time like we’ve avoided the scariest outcomes,” interim manager Andy Green said.
Young’s CT scan came back negative, Green said, but he’s still experiencing “real concussion symptoms.”
“When you see a collision like that and you get out there quick and there’s not much going on, those are very scary moments,” Green said. “So thankful he is showing really good signs right now and doing well at the hospital.”
With two outs in the sixth, the Phillies’ Justin Crawford hit a dribbler near first base that both McLean and Young hesitantly attempted to field. Young bent down to reach for the ball and McLean’s right knee collided with his head.
Young lay flat on the ground, initially face down, for several moments before being tended to by the Mets’ training staff and, eventually, paramedics.
“It was scary to sit there and just know that he wasn’t with us in that moment,” Francisco Lindor said. “He was just somewhere else.”
Young wore a neck brace and was alert as he was carted off the field. He gave a thumbs-up to the crowd of 32,044, which was palpably nervous.
“It is scary to see one of our brothers, one of the most respected and loved teammates that we have here, like that,” Lindor said. “And then seeing another great teammate [McLean] saying, ‘Man, this is not good. I hit him with my knee.’ Somebody who played football, that knows hits.
“Life is bigger than this game, for sure. And seeing him like that, not reacting, and then seeing the trainer holding his neck — it’s scary. It’s a scary moment.
“You can only think about how quick life can get out of your hands and think about his family and think about everybody else here. So thoughts and prayers to him and his family. As far as I know, I think he’s with his wife right now.
“So yeah, it was a tough moment, scary, and respect for Nolan to be able to gather himself and finish the inning.”
McLean, who did not speak to the media after the game, allowed one earned run, seven hits and three walks in six innings, striking out five.
Green said McLean was “shaken” but still was willing to go out for the seventh after throwing only 82 pitches.
“Didn’t feel that was in his best interest at that point in time,” Green said. “I probably should have made a better decision, not even let him get the next hitter. But he was still strong enough to do it, and he got back out there and did it.
“He’s a heck of a person. He’s a great competitor. But I think the humanity hit him pretty hard right there, too.”
Mark Vientos replaced Young at first base.
Young, 31, is amid a breakout season, owning a .266/.330/.429 slash line with nine homers and 39 RBIs in 103 games, 58 more than he had played in his entire career before this year. He has started 74 games at first base.
“He’s a guy that’s always happy,” Lindor said. “He’s the same person no matter what.”
Ben Dickson is Newsday Sports' general assignment reporter. He joined Newsday’s high school sports staff in 2023 after graduating from Maryland, where he covered several of the Terrapins' teams.
