Mets hoping rookie starters can deliver more magic for 2026 season

Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mike Puma about the inside buzz on the Mets.Nolan McLean, Brandon Sproat and Jonah Tong spent part of Wednesday afternoon dressed as elves, but the Mets are hopeful all will soon resemble lead reindeer.The rookie trio represents maybe the best hopes for the team’s starting rotation after arriving last season to contribute during the stretch run.“We have got a special group with the Mets,” McLean said during the team’s holiday party at Citi Field.

“It’s cool to be around all the guys every single day and just try to push each other to be better.”McLean, 24, showed the most promise of the group by pitching to a 2.06 ERA in eight starts for the team.It was enough to earn him an invitation (which he accepted) to pitch for Team USA in next year’s World Baseball Classic.“I definitely got confidence from [last season], but at the end of the day I can be better,” McLean said.“There’s a lot I need to work on to be able to go through a whole season.

It was a short, small sample size.I would like to be able to prove I can do it for a whole season.”Sproat, 25, pitched to a 4.79 ERA in four starts for the team.

Whereas McLean is likely penciled into a spot on the Opening Day roster (if not the starter for Game 1), Sproat may have to win a job in spring training.“All three of us have come up together and that’s super fun — you build a close bond with each other and be able to be here with each other,” Sproat said.“It’s super fun the friendships we have made.”Tong, 22, pitched to a 7.71 ERA in his five major league starts and may need additional seasoning at Triple-A Syracuse after pitching only two games at that level before his promotion to the Mets.

At the time, the Mets were desperate for pitching.“I had never been here, so it’s really cool to actually set foot on that mound,” Tong said.Sign up for Inside the Mets by Mike Puma,...