Jared Young’s head struck Nolan McLean’s knee with brutal impact on Thursday, and what followed raised questions about the Mets’ medical response.

While the medical staff tried to get him off the field, it didn’t seem to make things any better. As paramedics rushed Young off the field, his neck jerked, a sight that would later fuel criticism of their handling. American presenter Owen Shroyer was unimpressed as he called for the staff to be fired.

“Everyone involved in this transaction needs to be fired, potentially investigated for a crime. The level of incompetence here borders on malpractice,” Shroyer said via X.

The Phillies were leading 1-0 in the sixth when Nolan McLean was on the mound. Both McLean and Young rushed for the weak ground ball, converging at the same time.

At the last moment, while McLean attempted to leap over him, he accidentally kneed Young in the side of the head with heavy impact. What followed next was scarier.

Young was briefly knocked unconscious and lay motionless on the field for several minutes. Both dugouts looked tense, and Citi Field went silent.

Francisco Lindor was seen comforting McLean as he looked concerned. While the Mets players surrounded Young, paramedics immobilized his neck and stretchered him off the field to be transported to a nearby hospital.

Fortunately, he gave a reassuring thumbs-up to the crowd as he was being carted away.

However, as the video of Young getting treated by the medical staff went viral, questions were raised about how the personnel were struggling with the equipment.

They lifted Young with a manual stretcher. When they tried to get him on the cart, the struggle was evident.

Young, with his stiff neck, was seen violently jerking. Even the stretcher was wobbling. The most critical error occurred when the responding medical personnel encountered a mechanical issue trying to lock or adjust the stretcher. An EMT visibly shook and forcefully jarred the stretcher to make it functional.

Because the stretcher was shaken, Young’s head and neck visibly wobbled and moved, completely defeating the purpose of the rigid cervical brace he had just been placed in. Shaking a patient with a potential cervical spine or brain injury can exacerbate trauma or cause secondary neurological damage.

Even if it was not for his on-field collision, how the first responders handled the situation could have proved fatal for the young slugger. In such a concussion situation, first responders make the difference.

Earlier this year, Oakland’s Joshua Kuroda-Grauer was mishandled by medical staff after fouling a ball into his groin.

Despite the injury and attention from the medical staff, he stayed in the game. After the next half-inning, he couldn’t remain on the field and was taken to a Phoenix-area hospital for emergency surgery to repair the tear in the tunica albuginea. A 60-day IL was activated.

Fortunately for Jared Young, Mets interim manager Andy Green stated that he has avoided the scariest outcomes. Reportedly, his CT scan came back negative.

“That would be the most serious complication of a head injury,” Dr. Dennis A. Cardone, a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine at NYU Langone, said in a telephone interview. “So the CT scan is quite good to rule that out.”

“Everything we have heard has been really optimistic from a recovery standpoint, from a getting-back-on-the-field-eventually standpoint,” Green said, adding that Young had his sense of humor intact. “I am relieved. I think everybody is.”

“It is scary to see one of our brothers,” Lindor said. “One of the most respected and loved teammates that we have here, like that.”

The Mets may also have deviated from the game after the sixth inning.

They went on to allow two more runs in the seventh and eighth, snubbing the game entirely. Trea Turner scored from Luis Arraez’s sacrifice fly in the seventh. Bryson Stott followed by scoring another from Justin Crawford’s sacrifice fly in the eighth.

The Mets are currently 71-84 and stand last in the division. With just 7 games left, their 2026 campaign is about to end with the regular season. So, there should be no rush to get Young back despite his .266 season.

For the remainder of the season, Brett Baty, Mark Vientos, and Christopher Morel will share first base duties, while Ronny Mauricio is called up to fill the empty roster spot and provide versatile depth across the infield. Nevertheless, Jared Young getting back on his feet is what the Mets fans would wish to see fast.