Jonah Tong Rebounds With Stellar Outing

After 22-year-old Jonah Tong was out-dueled by former Met Jacob deGrom last Friday — something that many likely relate to — he could have continued his brutal stretch and allowed his youth and inexperience to defeat him.

For the sake of Tong and the Mets, they are lucky that this reality did not come to pass. Instead, Tong he five magnificent innings in which he allowed just one unearned run on four hits against the San Diego Padres.

From his first pitch on, Tong attacked in the zone and leaned on his fastball to set the tone. He punched out eight Padres, generating whiffs in big spots and freezing hitters when he needed a strike. Just as importantly, he didn’t issue a single walk, showing the command that had eluded him in the past. The only trouble he faced came in the third inning, when a pickoff error and wild pitch moved Fernando Tatis Jr. from first to third, setting up a sacrifice fly opportunity for Luis Arraez. Even then, Tong kept his composure, limiting the damage to one run that went down as unearned.

What stood out most was how he responded after the miscues. Rather than unraveling, Tong retired seven of his final nine batters and worked efficiently to complete five innings on 82 pitches, 59 of which were strikes. It was the kind of start that not only quiets doubts about his recent struggles, but also hints at the prospect of him being included in a potential Mets playoff rotation.

Tong’s teammates noticed the effort and maturity on display. After the game, star Brandon Nimmo told SNY’s Steve Gelbs, “That shows a lot of character from him, I couldn’t be more proud.”

Pete Alonso also praised Tong’s bounce-back performance: “Really stoked for him, those outings are huge for development. He’s got sky-high potential.”

The offense gave him more than enough breathing room. Alonso opened the scoring with his 37th homer of the year in the first inning. Then, Nimmo’s three-run blast in the third put New York firmly in control. Juan Soto added two hits, his 100th RBI and a stolen base while Francisco Lindor crossed the plate twice to lead the Mets to a 6-1 win.

Tong leaned heavily on his four-seam fastball, throwing 55 four-seamers. They averaged 94.4 mph and topped out at 97.3 mph early in the game. While his velocity dipped as the outing progressed, he didn’t rely on his velo; his elite vertical bite and natural “rise” on the fastball completely fooled opposing hitters and helped induce weak contact in the air when he needed it. He complemented the fastball with 10 changeups, two sliders and 15 curveballs, using the slow stuff sparingly but effectively to disrupt timing. Tong’s command, sequencing, and ability to generate swings-and-misses made him look like a polished workhorse on the mound.

Manager Carlos Mendoza applauded Tong’s grit and execution: “He threw a lot more strikes — from the very first pitch, having the confidence to attack hitters. That’s the guy we saw at the minor league level — it was pretty impressive.”

Tong himself acknowledged the support, saying, “Definitely boosts the confidence.” That encouragement has come from multiple sources, including veteran pitchers like Sean Manaea, who befriended Tong earlier this year while he was rehabbing. Having experienced teammates rooting for him certainly helps Tong find composure on the mound and execute his pitches well.

Looking ahead to the postseason, Tong’s fine outing raises the question of where he might fit in the Mets’ playoff pitching staff. With Nolan McLean seemingly locked in as the ace, the Mets appear to have just one spot claimed. However, management has also experimented with flexible approaches, such as piggybacking Sean Manaea and Clay Holmes, which creates opportunities for young arms. Tong now enters the conversation for a playoff rotation spot, but he’ll be competing with David Peterson, Kodai Senga, Holmes, Manaea, and Brandon Sproat for innings.

All have their pros and cons, but one thing is clear: the young Tong can deliver results. That’s exactly what he proved against a solid Padres lineup the Mets may very well face in October, showing that when the moment demands it, he can deliver.

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