The Mets have spent plenty of time in trade rumors around the “baby Mets” group, with Mark Vientos, Francisco Alvarez and Brett Baty all getting dragged into the conversation after frustrating seasons. But the name that makes for a more interesting offseason discussion is Jonah Tong.
That might sound odd at first, especially considering the Mets passed on dealing Tong to the Milwaukee Brewers for Freddy Peralta last winter. Instead, they sent starter Brandon Sproat and infielder Jett Williams to Milwaukee for Peralta and Tobias Myers.
Sproat has since had a rough year, posting a 5.57 ERA in 22 big league appearances, 19 of them starts. Tong, though, has had his own uneven run.
What made Tong a big-league option last season at age 22 was simple: a fastball-changeup mix and a fearless approach to challenging hitters. That formula powered a minor league season in which he led the minors with a 1.43 ERA and 179 strikeouts.
The jump to the majors was a different story. Tong finished with a 7.71 ERA in five starts for the Mets.
This year, he’s tried to reshape the package. Tong altered his arm angle and added a cutter, and the results have come with the expected bumps along the way.
In Triple-A Syracuse, he posted a 4.54 ERA over 23 starts. There was some better work late, though, because he allowed two runs or fewer in seven of his last eight starts in the minors.
His time in the majors has been limited this season. Tong has made just four appearances, including one start, and he was recalled to start against the Miami Marlins on Sept.
- In that outing, he struck out seven but gave up four runs in five innings.
Overall, he owns a 6.42 ERA in nine MLB appearances, six of them starts.
Even with the inconsistency, Tong remains a name worth watching. Baseball America has him ranked as the Mets’ No. 1 prospect, and the club has to decide this winter whether he still fits into the long-term picture after an uneven year in the minors.
He’s still only 23, and the upside is obvious when he’s going right and attacking hitters. The Mets already have a young rotation that includes Nolan McLean, Christian Scott and Zac Thornton, and Tong could be part of that group next year if he finds more consistency.
If the Mets do decide to move him, the move would likely be aimed at filling another hole, such as first base. Tong’s season puts him on the trade radar, but it also gives the Mets a clear reason not to rush into selling low.
In Other News...
Mets Yankees Game Took A Disturbing Turn Fans Wont Forget
A Subway Series night at Yankee Stadium already carried unusual weight, landing on the 25th anniversary of September 11. Then the game was interrupted when a fan ran onto the field carrying a Palestinian flag and wearing a No Kings jersey, turning what should have been a routine September matchup into a tense scene in front of a packed crowd.
Security quickly tackled the man, later identified as 38-year-old Kelly Marcucci, and he was charged with trespassing and a local ordinance violation. The delay was brief, but the moment lingered after play resumed, with the crowd reacting in chants as the game moved on. [Read more 🡒]
Mets Spent This Rivalry Night Chasing An Early Mistake
The Mets spent a rivalry night trying to climb out of an early hole in the Bronx, with the Yankees building their edge behind a steady start from Carlos Rodn and a rough outing from Nolan McLean. On the 25th anniversary of 9/11, the game had the kind of back-and-forth feel that can turn tense quickly, but New Yorks side of the scoreboard was chasing from the start after McLean was tagged for five runs over five innings.
A late push gave the Mets a chance to make things interesting, and they kept pressing against their crosstown rival deep into the game. Still, the deficit they created early proved too much to erase in a 6-4 loss, another reminder that against the Yankees, one bad stretch can shape the whole night even when the closing moments offer a flicker of life. [Read more 🡒]
Mets Face A Costly Clay Holmes Question All Over Again
Clay Holmes is back in the kind of free-agent conversation that can make a front office pause. Spotrac pegs the relievers market at roughly $22.9 million a year, with a deal that could climb into the $68 million to $70 million range over three years, and that price tag naturally forces the Mets to weigh how much they want to commit to a pitcher who could help in more than one role. The appeal is obvious: Holmes would give New York another arm to consider for the bullpen or even the starting rotation, which adds flexibility to a staff that still needs quality innings.
The financial picture may get even trickier depending on how the next collective bargaining agreement shapes the market, since timing can move free-agent salaries in either direction. For the Mets, the question is not simply whether Holmes fits, but whether he fits as part of a larger pitching plan that might also include other additions. Sean Manaea and Tarik Skubal enter the broader conversation as benchmarks for value and impact, but Holmes remains the name that could force New York to decide how aggressively it wants to buy stability on the mound. [Read more 🡒]