The Mets are weighing a move that could bring Jonah Tong back to the majors in the final stretch of the season, and the latest buzz suggests the right-hander may not be waiting long.
With 22 games left in the 2026 regular season, New York has a call to make on one of its top pitching prospects. A source close to the situation told FanSided there is no firm timetable for Tong’s return, but the Mets are considering a promotion. Mike Puma of The New York Post added Wednesday that the club is expected to call up Tong next week to start against the Miami Marlins.
Tong has already logged three big-league appearances for the Mets this season, working as a bulk reliever and posting a 3.60 ERA over 10 innings. His most recent major league outing came on Jun. 2.
This would not be Tong’s first look at the majors. He debuted with New York in the 2025 stretch run, but that first taste was rough: a 7.71 ERA in five starts covering 18 2/3 innings.
Even so, his minor league résumé was impossible to ignore. He led the minors with 179 strikeouts and finished last year with a 1.43 ERA.
What’s pushing the conversation now is the way Tong has finished at Triple-A Syracuse. His overall season there has been uneven, but the last four starts have been sharp.
Over that stretch, he has posted an 0.84 ERA with 23 strikeouts and 10 walks in 21 1/3 innings. In his most recent start on Aug. 29, he carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning before allowing a single.
The stuff is still the calling card. Tong’s fastball-changeup combination has been working hitters over lately, which is the same blend that got him to the majors at 22 last season.
This year, though, he made some changes - adjusting his arm angle, trying to add a cutter, and leaning more on his breaking ball. That brought some bumps along the way, reflected in his 4.54 ERA in 23 Triple-A starts, but he has looked more assertive recently and has done a better job attacking hitters.
There’s also a broader pitching picture behind the decision. Scott is coming off Tommy John surgery in 2024 and missed all of the 2025 season. Interim manager Andy Green told reporters that Scott will not pitch on four days’ rest for the remainder of the way in 2026.
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