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Mets pitcher Nolan McLean (26) throws in the first inning against the Houston Astros.
Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Who is better? For this year? For the long term?
Or maybe the question is whether Nolan McLean and/or Cam Schlittler were comets burning bright but quickly in 2025? Or was that a hint at them being stars soaring toward the top of a New York rotation?
The ultimate identity of these right-handers is a weighty subplot to this season. Both showed up when their teams badly needed rotation reinforcements last season, each was a near instant difference maker, and both are vital to 2026 plans.
Schlittler made his debut on July 9, and from there until the end of the season, 96 pitchers threw at least 60 innings — his 2.96 ERA was 17th and his 27.6 strikeout percentage 15th. The Yankees might not have made the playoffs without his stabilizing rotation impact and probably do not advance through the wild-card round, which he clinched with a tour de force eight shutout innings, 12 strikeouts and no walks against the Red Sox in the decisive Game 3.
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