The Mets could use some big-time help, so who better to call upon than a guy occasionally called Cowboy Ohtani?

Any mention of Ohtani has to give you a good feeling, of course. The Mets are thrilled to be promoting surprisingly polished pitching prospect Nolan McLean, even if the moniker hardly fits anymore.

McLean (sounds like McLane) gave up hitting last summer, and while the nickname dissipated with his two-way aspirations, it was a wise decision. He struck out in more than half his at-bats in the bushes, and the right-hander’s pitching career immediately flourished.

Some fool asked at Wednesday’s daily news conference if they might call upon Cowboy Ohtani to hit, too. (If you haven’t noticed, Mets hitting hasn’t been so hot lately, either.)