On Monday, the United States began training camp in Scottsdale, Arizona, for the upcoming World Baseball Classic.
Present were superstars, former Cy Young winners, and MVPs of Major League Baseball, including Aaron Judge, Bobby Witt Jr., Tarik Skubal, and Paul Skenes.
On paper, Team USA’s pitching staff ranks atop the 20-team international tournament. Manager Mark DeRosa’s club has a good mix of seasoned veterans and spry youngsters looking to make an impact.
Mets starters Clay Holmes and Nolan McLean are on the roster, but the latter did not report to Scottsdale on Monday.
McLean dealing with ‘vertigo-like symptoms’
When Holmes left Port St. Luice, one of the best young pitchers in baseball, McLean, stayed behind.
“Nolan McLean experienced vertigo-like symptoms on Friday night, so he stayed in Port St. Lucie rather than reporting to Team USA, according to Carlos Mendoza,” MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand wrote on X on Tuesday. “The symptoms are gone, and he will pitch on a back field Wednesday; if all goes well, he will join Team USA after that.”
McLean will be a valuable arm to have in the later rounds of the tournament. Skubal plans to report back to the Detroit Tigers after one mound appearance, and the 24-year-old could step up in his absence. In 2025, McLean made eight starts for the Mets and posted a 2.06 ERA and struck out 57 batters in 48 innings.
