In a moment when MLB teams projected to reach the postseason are scrambling to address their most pressing issues, the New York Mets have received unexpected help once again from a rookie pitcher. Yes, Carlos Mendoza is finding a significant boost, and this can only be good news.
After witnessing Nolan McLean‘s performances in his initial starts, it was Jonah Tong‘s turn to rebound from a disastrous last outing where he didn’t make it past the first inning.
A Historic Day for Jonah Tong
In what was his fifth career start, the 22-year-old pitched five innings against the San Diego Padres, allowing one unearned run on four hits, issuing no walks, and setting a personal record with eight strikeouts. Tong also retired the last eight batters he faced.
This outing is even more impressive considering that the young right-hander, at 22 years and 91 days old, became the youngest Mets pitcher since Dwight Gooden to allow no earned runs, issue no walks, and record eight strikeouts in a start. His ERA dropped from 8.49 to 5.94 after this standout performance.
This was, without a doubt, his best performance since his MLB debut on August 29. In his previous game, he lasted only 0.2 innings against the Texas Rangers on September 12, allowing six earned runs on four hits and issuing four walks. Before that start, Tong also struggled against the Cincinnati Reds on September 6, giving up four earned runs and three home runs in six innings.
After striking out nearly 180 batters between Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Syracuse in 113.2 innings, Jonah Tong finally showcased the dominant version expected of him since his call-up to the Majors in late August, after just two starts in Triple-A.
Manager Carlos Mendoza highlighted that the young right-hander’s brilliant performance against the Padres mirrored the pitcher who dazzled in the minor leagues, especially after overcoming early struggles in the first inning and settling in on the mound.
“We’re talking about bouncing back from the last outing, but bouncing back from the first couple of innings and then settling in nicely, that’s the guy we saw at the minor league level… it was pretty impressive,” Mendoza said.
With five MLB starts, Tong now holds a 2-2 record, a 5.94 ERA, 21 strikeouts, and a 1.44 WHIP in 16.2 innings.
These are good news for a Mets team that has struggled to find the best version of their starting pitchers, especially since they can reach the postseason and need to improve in this aspect of the game.
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