After making his second appearance of the season out of the bullpen on Wednesday, Jonah Tong, New York Mets’ No.2 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline, learned he will be sticking around in the big leagues. How long he remains there may depend on performance, but for Tong, the news has to be reassuring.
Jonah Tong Isn’t Going Anywhere as Mets Reveal New Plan
The Mets intend to get creative with the rookie and utilize him in a variety of ways, manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters after the club’s 4-2, series-salvaging victory over the Reds. That could mean almost anything. The most likely scenario is continued bullpen work, whether as a bulk reliever, long reliever, or mop-up option. However, the Mets could also move him back into the rotation if they decide to move away from using an opener every fifth day. The intriguing part of Mendoza’s comments is that Tong could end up doing a little bit of everything.
Tong, 22, doesn’t seem concerned about whatever role the Mets have in mind.
“I’m out here just to pitch, right? At the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter when, where, or how. How many [innings], how many not?” Tong said. “My job out there is to pitch and put the guys in the best possible chance to win.”
He backed up those words on Wednesday, tossing 3 2/3 scoreless innings in the series finale (one unearned run due to his own error). It wasn’t the cleanest outing, but it highlighted how different Tong looks this season compared to last year’s brief stint in the majors. He allowed his share of hard contact—four of his 11 outs came in the air at 99 mph or harder—and walked four batters, but the biggest difference was his presence on the mound.
Tong’s stoic, composed demeanor has been evident throughout both of his appearances this season. Last year, he often looked like a pitcher simply happy to be there. This year, he looks like someone who believes he belongs. His fastball showed an uptick in velocity to 96 mph (he averaged 94 in nine starts at Triple-A Syracuse), and he was able to land his secondary pitches for strikes when he needed to.
Meet The Mets
Tong became part of a six-rookie group that has been on the Mets’ active roster or remains on it. That group includes Nolan McLean, Tong, recently demoted Jonathan Pintaro, Nick Morabito, A.J. Ewing, and Carson Benge. The Mets’ payroll is $368 million, only slightly behind the Dodgers for first, but you wouldn’t know it based on the number of rookies contributing at the major-league level. Thanks to injuries to several key players, these rookies are getting opportunities they likely wouldn’t have gotten this year, except for Carson Benge.
Benge delivered two clutch RBI singles to help New York earn just their 23rd win of the season. Two fantastic at-bats that resulted in solid base-hits.
Juan Soto, who holds the largest contract in professional sports history, called Benge a rookie and a leader.
“I mean, he’s a leader. He’s a guy who wants to be out there, he’s a guy who wants to be part of every single play, you know?”Soto said. “He’s hungry to play the game, he’s showing up every day, he’s having fun, he’s bringing the energy.”
The Mets did not envision relying this heavily on rookies when the season began. Yet with injuries piling up and expectations slipping, players like Tong and Benge have become increasingly important. If the Mets are going to turn their season around, that rookie class will have to remain at the center of the effort.
Main Photo Credits: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
