NEW YORK — The incident occurred in the top of the sixth inning when Phillies batter Justin Crawford hit a slow ground ball toward first base, causing both Young and McLean to converge on the play. During the collision, McLean's knee struck Young in the head. Young fell face-first to the ground and remained motionless for several minutes.

Medical personnel stabilized Young's neck and removed him from the field on a stretcher. As he was carted off, Young gave a thumbs-up to the crowd. He was taken to a hospital for further evaluation following the game.

Nolan McLean remained in the game after the collision and recorded a strikeout to end the sixth inning. Green replaced McLean with reliever Tobias Myers at the start of the seventh inning. Green stated that McLean was shaken by the collision.

Jared Young is 31 years old and was in his first full major league season at the time of the injury. He had a batting average of.266 with nine home runs and 39 RBIs in 103 games during the 2026 season prior to the injury. Young had a 1.018 OPS over his first nine games back from the injured list in 2026 after recovering from a left knee meniscus tear. He missed six weeks with a left knee injury during the 2026 season.

Why It Matters

The injury removes a key contributor from the Mets lineup during the final stretch of the 2026 season. Young had posted strong offensive numbers upon his return from a knee injury, recording a 1.018 OPS in his first nine games back. His absence adds to a series of concussion incidents for the Mets in 2026, which also affected Francisco Lindor and Starling Marte.

The collision shows the physical risks inherent in infield plays where pitchers and position players converge. While McLean continued to pitch immediately after the incident, the severity of Young's concussion reflects the potential for serious injury in such scenarios. The Mets must now adjust their first base rotation for the remainder of the season without Young.

Timeline

On June 27, 2017, Jared Young was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the 15th round of the 2017 MLB June Amateur Draft and signed on June 27, 2017. On September 17, 2026, New York Mets first baseman Jared Young collided with pitcher Nolan McLean during the top of the sixth inning of a game against the Philadelphia Phillies. Also on September 17, 2026, Nolan McLean's knee struck Jared Young in the head during the collision.

On September 17, 2026, Mets interim manager Andy Green stated that Jared Young was briefly knocked unconscious during the incident. On September 17, 2026, Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor stated that it was scary to see Jared Young unconscious during the incident. On September 17, 2026, Phillies interim manager Don Mattingly stated that he heard the collision was bad and hoped Jared Young was all right. On September 17, 2026, Mets interim manager Andy Green stated that Nolan McLean was shaken by the collision. On September 17, 2026, Mets interim he stated that Jared Young avoided the most severe potential outcomes of the injury.

What's New

Additional reporting confirms that Mets interim he stated that Jared Young will miss the remainder of the 2026 season. Green also stated that Jared Young has short-term memory loss regarding the incident and is experiencing headaches. Records show that Nolan McLean, the pitcher involved in the collision, had a history of minor injuries in 2026, including a strained hamstring in April and a shoulder fatigue issue in June, but no prior incidents involving collisions with teammates.

Further background indicates that Jared Young had previously played in the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) before joining the New York Mets in 2024, after being released by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2024. Prior to joining the Mets, Jared Young had a.266 batting average with 9 home runs and 39 RBIs in 103 games during the 2026 season, as reported by the official MLB statistics. Schedule data lists a Philadelphia Phillies at New York Mets game as New York Mets 0, Philadelphia Phillies 0 [Scheduled], and two previous results as Philadelphia Phillies at New York Mets — New York Mets 6, Philadelphia Phillies 3 [Final] and Philadelphia Phillies at New York Mets — New York Mets 0, Philadelphia Phillies 3 [Final].

How Sources Differ

Reports on Jared Young's 2026 season present different details. The MLB statistical record, 2026 season states that Jared Young had a batting average of.266 with nine home runs and 39 RBIs in 103 games during the 2026 season prior to the injury. It was reported that Jared Young missed six weeks with a left knee injury during the 2026 season.