Game Chat: Mets vs Angels, 9:38 PM

Saturday, May 2, 2026 • 9:38 PM
Angel Stadium • Anaheim, CA
RHP Nolan McLean (1-2, 2.55) vs. LHP Reid Detmers (1-2, 4.28)
SNY

The Mets finally did something last night that has been missing since last July – win a game late after being down! The Angels immediately took the lead last night and by the fifth inning it was feeling like another one of those nights for the Mets. The Mets would go on to score three runs in the sixth to tie the game 3-3, and Ronny Mauricio hit a go-ahead homer in the seventh. Devin Williams shut down the Angels in the ninth and the Mets found themselves in the win column.

The Mets now go for the series win this afternoon and remain undefeated in the month of May. Let the momentum flow!

Mets Lineup

1. Bo Bichette – 3B
2. Juan Soto – DH
3. Francisco Alvarez – C
4. Mark Vientos – 1B
5. Marcus Semien – 2B
6. Andy Ibáñez – LF
7. Tyrone Taylor – CF
8. Austin Slater – RF
9. Ronny Mauricio – SS

Starting Pitcher: Nolan McLean

Nolan McLean has been a rock star in the Mets’ rotation this season. Over six starts, he has tossed 35 1/3 innings with a 2.55 ERA, 2.26 FIP (league leading), 0.849 WHIP, and a 160 ERA+. He has 45 strikeouts and is getting strikeouts at an 11.5 K/9 clip. McLean has a 2.29 xERA (94th percentile), 85.2 mph average exit velocity (93rd percentile), and a .188 xBA (91st percentile). Just dominant stuff. This will be McLean’s first start against the Angels, and no one on the Angels roster has faced him before in a Major League game.

Opposing Lineup

1. Zach Neto – SS
2. Mike Trout – CF
3. Nolan Schanuel – 1B
4. Jorge Soler – DH
5. Jo Adell – RF
6. Josh Lowe – LF
7. Vaughn Grissom – 2B
8. Oswaldo Peraza – 3B
9. Travis d’Arnaud – C

The Mets’ bats will get a look at Reid Detmers tonight. Over 33 2/3 innings (six starts), Detmers has a 4.28 ERA, 3.23 FIP, 1.099 WHIP, and a 101 ERA+. Three starts ago, Detmers held the Yankees to one run over seven innings. Since then, he has allowed seven runs from 10 hits and three walks over 11 innings. He’s been pitching a lot better though than traditional stats suggest. His xERA is 2.95, and he’s getting hitters to chase his pitches 34.1% of the time (81st percentile). Detmers faced the Mets once in relief last year, allowing a run and a hit in an inning of work. The Mets have the following career numbers against him:

• Bo Bichette 2-7, K
• Andy Ibáñez 2-4
• MJ Melendez 1-4, HR
• Marcus Semien 13-31, 2 2B, 3B, HR, 3 BB, 6 K
• Juan Soto 1-1
• Luis Torrens 3-4, 2B, HR

Game Notes

• The Mets extended Luis Torrens on a two-year, $11.5 million deal earlier Saturday. Torrens was picked up mid-way through the 2024 season and has registered a .628 OPS in 152 games with the Mets.
• With a win tonight, the Mets would win two games in a row for just the third time in the 2026 season. The last time the Mets won two games in a row was back on April 23.
• Nolan McLean has the opportunity to put up video game strikeout numbers against the Angels tonight. McLean enters Saturday with an 11.5 K/9 and faces the Angels, who have struck out a major league-leading 328 times.

Three Things To Watch For

1. Marcus Semien. On paper, this seems like a Marcus Semien game. Semien has a .471 OBP in over 30 AB’s against Detmers over his career and has a 1.116 OPS. Semien has been off to a rough start this year with the Mets. He has a .288 xwOBA (23rd percentile), .231 xBA (35th percentile), and .361 xSLG (31st percentile). He’s hitting the ball just as hard as he did last season (34.8% this year, 35% last year), but he’s just not getting results.
2. Rack up strikeouts. Nolan McLean is a strikeout machine, and the Angels are coming off a long night. Yesterday, the Mets got the Angels to strikeout 14 times, including three strikeout nights from Mike Trout, Yoan Moncada, and Jo Adell. Additionally, the Mets didn’t walk any hitters last night! They can’t get on base if they’re striking out!
3. Andy Ibáñez. The Mets claimed Ibáñez from the Athletics and activated him before yesterday’s game (optioning Eric Wagaman to Syracuse). Ibáñez is mostly known for his defensive utility. He can play all over the infield and the outfield corners. Over his career, he is a .252/.303/.385 hitter and is coming off a particularly brutal start to 2026, hitting .118/.167/.118 with a -21 OPS+. Last season he played in 91 games with 193 PAs, hitting .239/.301/.352 with an 81 OPS+ with the Tigers.

Let’s go Mets!

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