The Mets’ 2026 season has gone off the rails, and that usually means one thing at the trade deadline: sellers. With August 3 looming, New York looks far more likely to move veterans than to try to patch together a turnaround.
One name that could have entered the conversation is Jonah Tong. Instead, the Mets appear set on keeping him.
According to Will Sammon and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, New York is unlikely to trade Tong this summer, even after a rough year in Triple-A. As they wrote, "But despite a subpar season in Triple-A, the Mets are still holding starter Jonah Tong in high regard," Sammon and Rosenthal write. "While executives from different teams suggested the Mets would attract suitors if they put Tong on the market, New York likes him too much to do so, which makes any trade seemingly unlikely."
That stance matters because Tong is the kind of arm that could have brought back a meaningful return if the Mets decided to make a bigger swing. But the reporting suggests that won’t be the route they take. The organization still believes he can develop into a quality starting pitcher, and that belief seems to be holding even through a difficult season.
Tong’s numbers tell the story of a pitcher in a strange spot. In three MLB games for the Mets, he has thrown 10 innings and posted a 3.60 ERA.
The catch is that work came out of the bullpen, not in the starting role the Mets want for him. In Triple-A, though, he has struggled badly, putting up a 5.90 ERA in 14 starts.
The contrast with last season is stark. Tong had a 1.43 ERA in 22 minor league starts, while his first MLB look with the Mets was rough, as he finished with a 7.71 ERA over 18.2 innings in five starts.
A trade would have been a surprise, and it still would take a massive offer to change the picture. For now, though, the Mets are sticking with the 23-year-old right-hander, and a deal looks unlikely despite the mess of a 2026 season.
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