NEW YORK – Mets first baseman Jared Young was carted off the field and hospitalized Thursday after taking a knee to the head from pitcher Nolan McLean as both players were trying to cover first base. Young was playing first in the sixth inning at Citi Field when Phillies outfielder Justin Crawford hit a slow roller toward the bag, creating some confusion over whether Young or McLean would field the ball. As McLean struggled to reach him, his right knee struck Young’s head, knocking his teammate to the ground. Young remained motionless for some time as Mets trainers rushed to help him. Finally, a group of paramedics took him off the field. Young gave a thumbs up to the crowd as he left, indicating that he had regained consciousness. “It was scary, man,” shortstop Francisco Lindor said after the Mets’ 3-0 loss to the Phillies. “It’s scary to sit there and know that he wasn’t with us at the time. He was just somewhere else.” “That was a scary moment on a baseball field,” interim manager Andy Green added. Young was taken to a local hospital, where a CT scan came back negative. Although Young was showing concussion symptoms at the hospital Thursday night, he had full use of his limbs. Green said the team is optimistic because Young has “avoided the scariest outcomes.” “I appreciate that he is showing very good signs right now and is doing well in the hospital,” Green said. “And grateful for the paramedics and everyone who came to the field so quickly to take care of him.” After the collision, McLean returned to the mound and struck out Garrett Stubbs for the third out of the inning. Green pulled McLean from the game after that, saying he regretted keeping him even so long. In a quiet postgame clubhouse, McLean asked not to speak to the media because of his emotional state. “He knew it was a really bad collision and he was still willing to go out the next inning,” Green said of McLean. “I didn’t feel like that was the best thing for him at the time. I probably should have made a better decision by not letting him catch the next batter, but he was still strong enough to do it and he came back out and did it. He’s a great person, a great competitor. But humanity hit him pretty hard there, too.” Young, 31, has been a pleasant surprise for the Mets this season, batting .266 with a .759 OPS in 103 games while playing on the strong side of a first base platoon. If healthy, he has a solid chance to reprise that role next season. Young has played in three Major League organizations, as well as in Korea, the Dominican Republic and for Team Canada in the World Baseball Classic. “He’s a guy who’s always happy,” Lindor said. “He’s the same person no matter what. He posts whether he’s playing or not. He’s there. He’s consistent. He’s someone we all respect and appreciate. I love him. “He’s been a big part of our team this whole year, probably one of the best hitters on our team. I can only imagine what he’s going through right now, and so is his family.” Mark Vientos replaced Young on defense following his departure, going 1 for 2. Since returning from a long stint on the IL on Aug. 31, Vientos has hit .294 with two home runs in 19 plate appearances, providing value despite a severe reduction in playing time. Until Thursday, Vientos had faced almost exclusively left-handed pitching. “I’ve seen quality in his at-bats,” Green said before the game. “You see him approach this the right way, and it’s not easy to have playing time cut from what you’re used to. I’m pleased with the way he got through it. It has had good energy. He’s been a good teammate.” Young’s absence should give Vientos more opportunities. The Mets are also likely to use Brett Baty, who started at second base Thursday, often at first against right-handed pitching. Those details will be worked out over time. On Thursday night, Mets players and management were only concerned about Young’s health. “It’s scary to see one of our brothers, one of the most respected and beloved teammates we have here, like this,” Lindor said. “Life is bigger than this game, without a doubt, and seeing him like that, without reacting, and then seeing the coach holding him by the neck, is scary. It was a terrifying moment. “You can only think about how quickly life can slip through your fingers.”
