1 Overreaction & 1 Underreaction from Mets' Subway Series Loss to Yankees: Nolan McLean's Rough Start

The New York Mets dropped the final Subway Series of the year over the weekend, and two interesting trends emerged.

Sep 11, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Nolan McLean (26) pitches in the first inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It proved to be a frustrating weekend in the Bronx for the New York Mets, who dropped two out of three to the New York Yankees in the second instalment of the 2026 Subway Series.

The bats were the main culprit, with the Mets struggling offensively in both losses. They also lost the pitching battle. Still, with the Yankees in a playoff race, the weekend was always going to be a tough test for the Mets.

That said, as we trawl through the wreckage from the series loss, there does seem to be one rather big overreaction and a notable underreaction among Mets fans to what went down this weekend.

Overreaction - Nolan McLean falls short on the big stage

I was somewhat shocked by the discourse around Nolan McLean following his start at Yankee Stadium on Friday night. Yes, the rookie wasn't good in his Subway Series debut, giving up five earned runs on a career-high 10 hits over five tough innings.

However, to see some suggest that McLean has no heart or can't pitch in big games seems to be a gross overreaction, and that is putting it incredibly lightly. Yes, he didn't meet the moment in what was a raucous atmosphere, but there are a couple of important things to remember.

Firstly, a lot was riding on the game for the Yankees. It was a nothing game for the Mets, and, win or lose, it didn't really matter. Therefore, I think it is unfair to say McLean didn't rise to the occasion. If anything, he was probably a little hammed up following the emotional pre-game ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of 9/11.

Secondly, all pitchers, even the best ones, will suffer an off night. McLean didn't have his best stuff; he couldn't attack the zone, and the one time his cutter let him down happened to be on a Cody Bellinger three-run homer that ultimately changed the game. It was a bad night, that's all it was.

It certainly doesn't mean that McLean doesn't have the makings of a big-time pitcher, and to suggest otherwise is just beyond foolish. If anything, McLean will be better going forward after what happened on Friday, and it will help him when he does pitch in games with something actually on the line. But to suggest otherwise is silly. McLean is still the future ace of this team.

Underreaction - Francisco Alvarez's downwards spiral

I feel as if we aren't talking about Francisco Alvarez's continued struggles nearly enough. It's almost as if some Mets fans want to ignore the problem.

Alvarez was not good against the Yankees, going 1-for-6 with a walk and two strikeouts over two games. Looking beyond the stats, Alvarez looked non-competitive in most of his at-bats, and he seems to really struggle with runners in scoring position.

This is not a small sample size now, nor is it an issue that can just be glossed over. Alvarez has always been a streaky player, but offensively, he's been a black hole for months now. He's hitting just .194/.311/.372 with 58 strikeouts and a .683 OPS in the second half of the year.

Those stats should ring the alarm bells. And they should also tell you that Alvarez is regressing as a player, not improving. If he can't right the ship over the final two weeks of the season, then the Mets need to take a real look at the catcher's future.

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