Mets' Nolan McLean not with Team USA yet for WBC as he battles through 'vertigo-like symptoms'

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. – Team USA began its World Baseball Classic workouts in Phoenix this week with one notable, alarming absence: Nolan McLean.

But while McLean was indeed still in Florida due to a spate of “vertigo-like symptoms,” and a loss of appetite that caused him to lose five pounds, the good news is that the Mets don’t believe the issue to be serious, and that the rookie righthander is still penciled in to make his start against Italy on March 11.

“I’m better this week for sure,” said McLean, who was told he contracted a vestibular viral infection – essentially an inflamed inner ear. “I haven’t missed any days of throwing. I kind of grinded through it a little last week, still feeling the vertigo symptoms, but this week I’m feeling really good.”

McLean said he developed dizziness early last week and began turning a corner Friday.

“I would get dizzy out of nowhere,” he said. “I wouldn’t necessarily say [it was] scary, just really uncomfortable. It’s hard to explain to somebody that’s never had vertigo-like symptoms. It’s not a whole lot of fun to deal with. It just feels like you’re spinning in circles, or you’re on a boat or something like that.”

McLean was able to throw a side session Sunday and he’ll pitch on the Clover Park backfield in a simulated game Wednesday to ensure he’s in the clear.

“If everything goes well, he’ll report to Team USA after that,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “He had symptoms and he reported it – some dizziness. We just decided to play it smart.”

McLean said he’d experienced something similar only once before, in high school. Right now, it’s about “trying to get my weight back and just go out and try to compete tomorrow and see how I feel.”

WBC exhibition games began Tuesday, with pool play beginning in Tokyo late Wednesday night, eastern time . McLean said pitching against Italy next week “is definitely doable,” though he did briefly consider pulling out of the tournament.

“Obviously, I had to take care of my body first and make sure I’m where I wanted to be before I try and compete for Team USA,” he said.

Tuesday, Team USA manager Mark DeRosa said that McLean would start if the United States made it to the final, according to a report in the New York Post. It’s a significant honor for the rookie, considering the presence of teammates Paul Skenes, Tarik Skubal and Logan Webb, who are slated to start the first three games of pool play. Scheduling, though, makes McLean the best available option, and is a testament to DeRosa’s trust in McLean’s ability to handle big-game situations.

“I was going to be pretty upset if it was something that was going to be taken away from me like that, but my body has to come first,” McLean said. “But the way I’ve been feeling the last couple of days, I should be trending in the right direction.”

 Lindor on the mend . Francisco Lindor is taking the next steps in what the Mets hope will lead to an Opening Day start. Lindor, who underwent surgery on his left hamate early in spring training, played catch for the first time Monday and will likely begin swinging a bat Wednesday or Thursday, Mendoza said. 

Notes & Quotes. Luis Robert Jr., who’s being eased in due to his injury history, will play the outfield in the Wednesday sim game. “We put together a plan, a progression there,” Mendoza said. “He’s getting a ton of live at-bats. He’s going through full activities. We just wanted to be careful here because of the [injury] history.”…Mark Vientos played against the Mets as part of Team Nicaragua in a WBC exhibition game on Tuesday. He went 1-for-3 with a strikeout…Devin Williams struck out all three batters he faced Tuesday…Jorge Polanco will make his debut at first base Thursday…Sean Manaea, David Peterson and Kodai Senga are all expected to make their spring training debuts this week.

By Laura Albanese

laura.albanese@newsday.com@AlbaneseLaura

Laura Albanese is the Mets beat writer for Newsday. She's been covering MLB since 2014 after starting at Newsday as an intern seven years earlier.