A frightening collision between two New York Mets teammates left first baseman Jared Young unconscious on the field and sent him to the hospital Thursday night.
The terrifying scene unfolded during the sixth inning of the Mets’ 3-0 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field, when Young and starting pitcher Nolan McLean both went after a slow ground ball hit by Phillies outfielder Justin Crawford.
Young moved toward the first-base bag as McLean charged over from the mound. As the two converged, McLean’s right knee slammed into Young’s head, knocking the 31-year-old to the ground.
Young remained motionless as trainers and paramedics rushed onto the field.
According to MLB’s official account of the incident, Young had been knocked unconscious and remained down for some time before medical personnel placed him on a stretcher and carted him away.
He eventually regained consciousness and gave the Citi Field crowd a thumbs-up as he was taken off the field, prompting a loud ovation from worried fans.
Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor said afterward that it was clear his teammate was not fully conscious immediately after the hit.
“It was scary, man,” Lindor told reporters, describing the unsettling moments while Young was receiving treatment.
Young was transported to a local hospital for further evaluation.
Interim Mets manager Andy Green later delivered some encouraging news, saying a CT scan came back negative. Young was still dealing with significant concussion symptoms, but he had full use of his arms and legs.
Green called the collision “a terrifying moment on a baseball field” and said the team believed Young had avoided the most serious possible outcomes.
The manager also revealed that it took Young some time to regain awareness. According to an Associated Press account of Green’s comments, one of Young’s first questions after waking up was simply, “What happened?”
McLean was visibly shaken by the accident.
He remained in the game long enough to strike out Garrett Stubbs and finish the sixth inning, but Green replaced him before the seventh.
Green later acknowledged that, in hindsight, he probably should not have allowed the rookie pitcher to face another batter following such an emotional scene.
McLean declined to speak with reporters after the game.
Despite the frightening collision, he had pitched well before leaving, allowing one run over six innings while striking out five. The Phillies ultimately shut out New York 3-0.
Young has emerged as an important part of the Mets’ lineup this season.
The first baseman is hitting .266 with nine home runs and 39 RBIs across 103 games in 2026. He has also posted a .759 OPS while receiving regular playing time at first base.
His road to becoming a Mets regular has been an unusual one.
Young previously appeared in the majors with the Chicago Cubs, played professionally in Korea and the Dominican Republic, and represented Canada in the World Baseball Classic before carving out a bigger role in New York.
The immediate concern now is his recovery from the apparent concussion.
MLB’s latest injury report says Young was taken to the hospital following the September 17 collision, but no timetable for his return had been announced as of Friday morning.
That means he would still need to be medically evaluated before the Mets determine when — or whether — he can return to the lineup in the closing stretch of the season.
For now, the negative CT scan and full movement in his extremities were the most reassuring developments to emerge from an otherwise horrifying scene at Citi Field.
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