NEW YORK — September 18, 2026 | America Newsline Sports Desk
A frightening moment overshadowed the Philadelphia Phillies vs. New York Mets matchup at Citi Field on Thursday night when Mets first baseman Jared Young was injured in a collision with teammate Nolan McLean during the sixth inning.
Young was taken from the field on a stretcher after McLean’s knee struck Young in the head while both Mets players moved toward a slowly hit ground ball. The Mets said Young was being taken to a hospital for further examination and that he had feeling in his extremities.
LATEST: Young was transported for medical evaluation. As of the latest reports available, the Mets had not announced a definitive diagnosis or detailed prognosis.
📸 The moment at Citi Field
The collision occurred with two outs in the top of the sixth inning after Phillies center fielder Justin Crawford hit a slow grounder toward the first-base side. Young and McLean converged on the play, with McLean attempting to cover first. During the scramble, McLean’s knee made contact with Young’s head.
Important photo note for publishers: The AP photographs accompanying current reports are editorial images and are credited to photographer Seth Wenig/AP. They should not be republished as your own or treated as copyright-free. The available reports show Young being attended to by medical personnel and later giving a thumbs-up while being removed from the field.
What happened?
The play developed quickly:
Justin Crawford put a slow ground ball into play toward the first-base area.
Jared Young moved toward the ball while Nolan McLean moved across to cover first.
The two Mets players converged.
McLean’s knee struck Young in the head.
Young went down on the infield dirt and medical personnel immediately came onto the field.
Young was immobilized and eventually taken away on a stretcher.
Mark Vientos replaced Young at first base.
The scene prompted players from both teams to gather around Young while medical personnel treated him. McLean appeared visibly shaken after the collision.
🏥 Jared Young injury update
The most important information currently available is that Young was transported to a hospital for further examination.
The Mets reported that Young had feeling in his extremities, a detail that was also reported by multiple outlets covering the incident.
Young also appeared to give a thumbs-up while being taken from the field, providing a reassuring moment after the frightening collision.
There has not yet been a publicly confirmed detailed diagnosis in the reports reviewed for this article. Therefore, it would be premature to describe the injury as a confirmed concussion, neck injury or any other specific condition until the Mets or medical personnel provide that information.
⚾ Why Jared Young’s injury matters to the Mets
Young had become an important part of New York’s 2026 lineup.
According to MLB’s current player information, the 31-year-old first baseman entered the season after spending much of the previous year in the minors and established himself as a regular contributor. He had also previously missed approximately six weeks earlier in 2026 after undergoing surgery for a left-knee meniscus injury.
Before Thursday’s game, Young had appeared in 103 games, batting approximately .266 with nine home runs and 39 RBIs, according to the latest AP report.
His 2026 season therefore had been a significant opportunity to establish himself as a regular major-league player.
🟠 The human side of a frightening baseball moment
The collision was particularly difficult because Young and McLean were teammates, not opposing players.
McLean was attempting to make the defensive play while Young was also trying to handle the ball. The collision appeared accidental, with both players reacting to the same developing play in a fraction of a second. Current reports do not indicate that either player intentionally caused the contact.
The Phillies players also appeared concerned as medical personnel treated Young, underscoring how serious the scene looked from both dugouts.
📊 Phillies vs. Mets — Game snapshot
Game: Philadelphia Phillies vs. New York Mets Date: September 17, 2026 Venue: Citi Field, New York Incident: Top of the 6th inning Phillies player involved in the play: Justin Crawford Mets players involved: Jared Young, Nolan McLean Mets replacement at first base: Mark Vientos Young’s status: Removed and transported for medical examination Initial Mets update: Feeling in extremities reported Next Phillies-Mets game: September 18 at Citi Field
For readers wanting pitch-by-pitch information, MLB’s official GameDay page provides live scores, play-by-play and Statcast information for the matchup.
UPDATE 1 — Collision: Young and McLean collided while attempting to make a defensive play on a slow grounder toward first base.
UPDATE 2 — Medical attention: Medical personnel immediately came onto the field and Young was immobilized before being removed.
UPDATE 3 — Stretcher removal: Young was taken from Citi Field on a stretcher and gave a thumbs-up as he was being transported away.
UPDATE 4 — Hospital evaluation: The Mets said Young was being taken to a hospital for further examination.
UPDATE 5 — Initial encouraging information: The team reported that Young had feeling in his extremities.
NEXT UPDATE: America Newsline will need to update this section only when the Mets, MLB or another reliable primary source announces a confirmed diagnosis or medical status.
Editor’s note
This is a developing story. Medical information can change as further examinations are completed. America Newsline should update this article whenever an official statement from the New York Mets, MLB or Young’s representatives becomes available.
Sources: MLB, Associated Press reporting, ABC7 New York and other contemporaneous reports.
