Mets' Nolan McLean basically told Byron Buxton what pitch was coming before a home run

TL;DR

Mets pitcher Nolan McLean lost his 12th consecutive game after Byron Buxton hit a home run, possibly due to McLean signaling the pitch beforehand. This incident highlights the Mets' ongoing struggles this season.

Key points

Nolan McLean is a pitcher for the New York Mets.
Byron Buxton hit a home run during the game.
McLean may have indicated the pitch to Buxton before the home run.
The Mets have lost 12 games in a row.

New York MetsNolan McLeanByron Buxton

Mets' Nolan McLean basically told Byron Buxton what pitch was coming before a home run originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The New York Mets lost again. That's 12 in a row.

A big reason why was the momentum-swinging home run launched by Byron Buxton off Nolan McLean.

And the painful part of that homer for McLean? He may have told Buxton what pitch was coming.

On the pitch before the home run, McLean ran one inside on Buxton, and he gestured a "my bad" to the Twins superstar.

SNY broadcaster Ron Darling pointed out that Buxton could plan on the next pitch not being inside after the apology.

And so there Buxton was, leaning out over the plate to hang an up-and-away fastball deep to left field.

There's no way he pulls this pitch if he's not leaning out, expecting it away.

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The Mets' lead wasn't gone then, but it helped propel the Twins to eventually leapfrog the scuffling team from Queens.

A dozen losses in a row, no matter what comes next, will make this a very difficult hole to climb out of.

And while McLean didn't inherently do anything wrong, he may have also tipped his hand. If that's really what Buxton was using to prepare for that home run pitch, it ended up costing the Mets.