Mets' offense unable to help out Nolan McLean, blanked by Phillies in 1-0 loss

The Mets were shut out on Monday night against the Philadelphia Phillies in a 1-0 loss. New York has now lost 11 of its past 13 one-run games and has fallen to 8.0 GB of the first-place Phillies for the NL East title.

Here are the takeaways…

-After more than a month of red-hot offense, New York has been stymied as of late and that continued on Monday against a struggling Aaron Nola. The right-hander limited the Mets to just three hits and two walks over six scoreless innings while striking out seven.

The scoring drought went into the ninth inning where Phillies closer Jhoan Duran entered the game to try and save a 1-0 score. New York's offense finally perked up with Pete Alonso leading off the inning with a single up the middle. With one out, Mark Vientos hit an opposite-field double to put the Mets in business with the tying and go-ahead runs on second and third.

With a golden opportunity to tie or even take the lead, Jeff McNeil and Francisco Alvarez struck out swinging to end the game in disappointment for New York. Alvarez's strikeout was even more disappointing as he looked like the Alvarez of old, swinging at three pitches way outside and looking way too overzealous.

-The Mets didn't do Nolan McLean any favors as the rookie pitched well for a fifth straight start to begin his career and managed to keep the Phillies off the board for most of the night. The only run given up by the right-hander came in the second inning after he allowed three straight hits to start the inning.

Aside from that, McLean looked good once again and although he wasn't as sharp as he has been in other outings, he was able to maneuver out of trouble. The 24-year-old surrendered seven hits and walked three but allowed just the one run over 5.1 innings. He struck out five and threw 91 pitches (56 strikes), but recorded his first loss of his career to go to 4-1. His ERA remains a superb 1.42.

-On the bright side for New York, its bullpen pitched well with Gregory Soto, Brooks Raley and Ryan Helsley combining for 2.2 scoreless innings. Helsley's outing was the most encouraging as the struggling reliever struck out two in the bottom of the eighth inning to keep the Mets within a run.

–Brett Baty had a good day at the plate and went 1-for-1 with a walk, but he was picked off first base with two outs in the fifth inning and Juan Soto at the plate. Baty was replaced for a pinch-hitter in the eighth.

-Of New York's five hits, two came off the bat of Alonso who went 2-for-4, including a double. The rest of the Mets' fab four went 0-for-10 with two walks.

-In the ninth, pinch-runner Ronny Mauricio perhaps could've scored on Vientos' double, but he held up between first and second base on a ball that was clearly going over right fielder Nick Castellanos' head. It's not certain that Mauricio would've scored, or even been sent home with New York having two chances to drive him in, but it was a baserunning mistake nonetheless.

Game MVP: Aaron Nola

Despite his season-long struggles this year, Nola shut out the Mets over six innings and outdueled McLean to get the 1-0 victory.

Highlights

Diving stop by Brett Baty! pic.twitter.com/HY5Fj5nGbm

— SNY (@SNYtv) September 8, 2025

Francisco Alvarez exchanged words with Edmundo Sosa after tagging him out on a dropped third strike pic.twitter.com/aCqPPsYheH

— SNY (@SNYtv) September 9, 2025

Nolan McLean gets Max Kepler looking to get out of trouble in the 5th pic.twitter.com/bhnAR77gew

— SNY (@SNYtv) September 9, 2025

What's next

The Mets and Phillies continue their four-game set with a Tuesday night battle starting at 6:45 p.m. on SNY.

LHP Sean Manaea (1-2, 5.60 ERA) hopes to get his season back in the right direction and will face LHP Ranger Suarez (11-6, 2.89 ERA).