Mets’ Jonah Tong Impresses with Near No-Hitter
So, on Saturday, Jonah Tong nearly achieved a no-hitter during a seven-inning game, which certainly seems to have positioned him positively for a potential return to the Mets in September. However, interim manager Andy Green didn’t exactly drop any concrete hints about that when he spoke the next day.
Still, Green mentioned that it’s “definitely a discussion point” among him, president of baseball operations David Stearns, and the team. In that Double-A game for Triple-A Syracuse, Tong came impressively close to a no-hitter—allowing just a single hit in the sixth inning while striking out eight and giving up only two walks.
His performance lowered his ERA in the minors to 4.54, which is an improvement that’s hard to overlook compared to his earlier struggles. “I think we’re glad to see those results from Jonah,” Green remarked just before the Mets wrapped up a homestand against the Astros at Citi Field. “He’s doing some really nice things, so that is definitely not unseen… it was an encouraging outing for him, for sure.”
Green admitted he only caught about three innings before getting distracted, but he noted that Tong’s fastball had “real life.” He observed that the ball seemed to be “really jumping out of his hands” and recognized that the 23-year-old was successfully targeting the top of the strike zone.
Ranked as the Mets’ No. 2 pitching prospect and No. 5 overall by MLB Pipeline, Tong had a 3.60 ERA through three appearances as a bulk-inning reliever earlier this season. However, after being sent back to Triple-A in early June, he faced some difficulties.
Fortunately, his recent turnaround has been promising, and he’s clearly working hard to make a case for returning to the majors before the season wraps up—particularly as the Mets’ postseason chances seem almost out of reach.
On September 1, rosters will expand from 26 to 28 players, which could potentially work in Tong’s favor.
For now, Robert Stock, a journeyman, has made five starts and is set for his sixth on Monday, though he had a tough outing the previous week, giving up seven runs on ten hits.
Tong also faced challenges last year, posted a 7.71 ERA over five starts; despite that, he quickly made a name for himself in the minors and earned a shot in the majors. It’s uncertain if he’ll get another chance with the Mets in this final stretch of the season, but Saturday’s solid performance certainly didn’t hurt his case.
