Sunday, July 19, 2026 • 1:35 PM
Citizens Bank Park • Philadelphia, PA
RHP Nolan McLean (6-6, 3.52) vs. RHP Alan Rangel (0-2, 4.19)
SNY

The New York Mets flashed all their 2026 struggles Saturday. The team only mustered three hits, all from the bottom of the lineup. Collectively went 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position. Committed three errors. Had a starter allow four runs, including two in the first. Just a poor showing all the way around. But the Mets won on Thursday, and a win today means the Mets would win the series.

Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Mets Lineup

  1. A.J. Ewing – CF
  2. Juan Soto – DH
  3. Bo Bichette – 3B
  4. Francisco Lindor – SS
  5. Carson Benge – LF
  6. Jared Young – RF
  7. Marcus Semien – 2B
  8. Brett Baty – RF
  9. Luis Torrens – C

Starting Pitcher: Nolan McLean

Nolan McLean has made 19 starts this season totaling 107 1/3 innings with a 3.52 ERA, 3.44 FIP, 1.118 WHIP, and a 118 ERA+. Over his last three starts he has allowed only two earned runs (five runs total) over 18 innings from 15 hits and five walks while striking out 19 batters (1.00 ERA, 2.16 FIP). In his last eight starts, he has a 2.35 ERA, 3.19 FIP and that includes a start where he allowed six runs over six innings.

The Phillies have the following career stats against McLean:

  • Alec Bohm 2-3
  • Bryce Harper 1-6, 3 K
  • J.T. Realmuto 0-5, BB
  • Kyle Schwarber 0-5, BB
  • Edmundo Sosa 1-2, K
  • Bryson Stott 1-5, K
  • Trea Turner 0-2, K

Phillies Lineup

  1. Trea Turner – SS
  2. Kyle Schwarber – DH
  3. Bryce Harper – 1B
  4. Brandon Marsh – LF
  5. Alec Bohm – 3B
  6. Bryson Stott – 2B
  7. J. T. Realmuto – C
  8. Gabriel Rincones Jr. – RF
  9. Justin Crawford – CF

Starting Pitcher: Alan Rangel

Alan Rangel has pitched in five games this season (two starts) totaling 19 1/3 innings with a 4.19 ERA, 4.40 FIP, 1.397 WHIP, and a 109 ERA+. His first start on July 2 was solid, holding the Pirates scoreless over four innings. Last time out he allowed three runs, including two home runs against the Reds over 3 1/3 innings.

On June 27 he pitched four innings in bulk relief against the Mets allowing four runs from four hits and two walks. The Mets have the following numbers against Rangel:

  • Francisco Alvarez 0-2, K
  • Brett Baty 0-2
  • Carson Benge 0-2
  • Bo Bichette 1-2, K
  • A.J. Ewing 1-2, K
  • Francisco Lindor 1-2, 3B
  • Juan Soto 1-1, BB
  • Jared Young 0-1, BB

Game Notes

In 13 games since June 30, Brett Baty is batting .306 (15-49) with nine runs, four doubles, two homers, six RBI, two walks, two steals. He has a .321 on-base percentage, a .510 slugging percentage, and an .831 OPS.

Juan Soto has hit 265 home runs in his career, tied with George Bell for the 20th-most in major league history by a player born in Dominican Republic. His 265 career home runs are the 11th-most in MLB history prior to turning 28.

Three Things To Watch For

  1. Get hits. Saturday, the Mets only had three hits as a team, with Tyrone Taylor and A.J. Ewing getting all three as the seventh and eighth hitters in the lineup. Since the Red Sox series last weekend, the Mets have gone an astounding 1-for-33 with runners in scoring position. This has been a problem for most of the season, and almost impossible to win games without getting big hits. At some point that number has to regress to the mean, and for the Mets that would mean actually getting some big hits.
  2. Stealing bases. In the last five games the Mets have stolen five bases and haven’t been caught. For most of this season, the Mets were stealing bases at a clip far lower than last season but being caught at a much higher rate. With the Mets struggling at the plate, there’s a lot of pressure to manufacture runs on the base paths.
  3. Bullpen arms. The Mets used Kodai Senga and Xzavion Curry Saturday to finish off the last 3 1/3 innings they needed, saving all of the arms in the bullpen that may be moved in the next two weeks. With all the high-leverage relievers last pitching on Thursday, the group of tradeable relievers are all available Sunday.