Jonah Tong May Be Getting a New Opportunity in Mets' Rotation Soon

The Mets still have a bit of work to do to figure out the back of their rotation. Clay Holmes' injury has thrown the group into flux, and lefty Zach Thornton will get the first crack at filling that hole in Washington on Wednesday.

One of the pitchers Thornton beat out for that start is Jonah Tong, the Mets' top-rated pitching prospect who made his big league debut at the tail end of last season. Tong is still racking up a ton of strikeouts in Triple-A, notching 55 in 38 innings, but he is having issues with command, as evidenced by his 22 walks.

Eyebrows were raised on Wednesday morning, however, when Tong was scratched from his scheduled start with Syracuse. While there were initial concerns about Tong's health, MLB.com's Anthony DiComo reported that Tong is healthy and still with Syracuse at the moment.

Mets No. 2 prospect Jonah Tong, who was scratched from today's start at Triple-A Syracuse, is fully healthy, according to multiple sources. That obviously implies that Tong could be in play for a call-up, but there has been no word to that end. He's still in Syracuse.
— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) May 20, 2026

DiComo posits that the only reason a healthy Tong would have his start skipped was if the Mets were considering promoting him to the major leagues. The Mets, currently in the middle of a stretch of 16 games in a row without an off day, had previously considered a sixth starter before Nolan McLean's scheduled start on Tuesday to give him an extra day of rest.

McLean struggled mightily in that outing, giving up nine runs (six earned) in 5 2/3 innings pitched, so it wouldn't be shocking if the Mets revisit that idea before his next scheduled start on Sunday. Thursday's starter slot is currently occupied by David Peterson, so the Mets could opt to send down Thornton after Wednesday's start and promote Tong to make another appearance, effectively pushing everyone else back one day.

Jonah Tong has an opportunity to earn a larger role in the big leagues

There is no question that Tong's upside as a starter is tremendous, with some scouts comparing his delivery to former Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum. There is some risk with Tong's build that he may not be able to sustain a long career as a starter, but he has the kind of top-end stuff that offers ace-like potential if he can develop command of his offspeed offerings.

Jonah Tong lifts his fist to his mouth. — Jonah Tong has potential; however, the Mets' prospect still has a lot to prove. | Matt Marton-Imagn Images

While Freddy Peralta, Christian Scott and McLean appear entrenched in three rotation spots, the Mets do have two others to play with. The opener slot seems to be doing well for Peterson, who has been more effective behind guys like Huascar Brazoban and Austin Warren, but it limits Carlos Mendoza's options later in games.

The ideal scenario would be for Tong to come up and dominate in his first big league start of the season, giving the team a reason to give him an extended run in the major league rotation. Having multiple TBAs is difficult when mapping out a pitching staff, so giving Tong (or Thornton, if he pitches well against the Nationals tonight) runway to start every five days could be a major benefit.

Fans may remember Tong's inconsistent performance at the end of 2025 (2-3, 7.71 ERA in five starts), but his upside is extremely tantalizing at just 22 years old. Tong has also made just 11 total starts above the Double-A level, so growing pains are to be expected from a player of his age.

The obvious question needing an answer is whether the Mets feel that giving Tong an extended look is a more effective use of that rotation slot than Thornton or stretching out one of their long relievers (Sean Manaea, Tobias Myers). The ceiling is very high for Tong, but if he gets a call-up this week, he will need to prove he belongs with a strong showing against a competitive NL East lineup.

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