The New York Mets will give right-hander Jonah Tong another shot with the big-league club on Tuesday, June 2, against the Seattle Mariners, but not as a starter.
Tong will operate as the bulk reliever behind right-hander Huascar Brazoban, reports Curtis Crabtree of Fox 13 Seattle. The Mariners will counter with right-hander Logan Gilbert. This will be Tong’s third appearance with the Mets. All of his outings have come as a reliever behind an opener.
The Mets revealed last week that Tong would stick with the team in the majors after recording his first win of the season. The club did not specify whether he’d work as a traditional starter or a long reliever. Manager Carlos Mendoza has routinely leaned on Brazoban to open games. The veteran righty has made four “starts” this season, typically ahead of left-hander David Peterson. Brazoban has a strong 1.86 ERA across 25 appearances.
New York Mets Lineup News: Jonah Tong Will Follow Huascar Brazoban Against the Seattle Mariners
Tong has yet to allow an earned run in two games with the Mets this season. He reached 3.2 innings and 76 pitches last time out against the Cincinnati Reds. Tong limited Cincy to one unearned run, though he did walk four. The righty struck out one and permitted three hits. Brazoban also opened for him in that matchup. He tossed a scoreless frame before handing the ball over to Tong. The Mets scored three runs in the first five innings against Andrew Abbott, which was all the run support Tong would need en route to a 4-2 victory.
The big-league success this season is a stark contrast to Tong’s work in the minors this year. He had scuffled to a 5.68 ERA across nine starts at Triple-A before getting promoted to the majors. Tong posted an excellent 32.7% strikeout rate with Syracuse, but it came with an unsightly 14.3% walk rate. He’s continued to hand out free passes in the majors. Tong has walked five in 6.2 innings with the Mets.
Using Brazoban to open the game will shield Tong from some of Seattle’s better hitters. J.P. Crawford is off to a solid start this season. The shortstop will set the table for sluggers Julio Rodriguez and Josh Naylor. The Mariners have also gotten strong production from Luke Raley. The lefty-swinging outfielder is only in the lineup against right-handed pitching, but he’s still found his way to 13 home runs as a part-time player.
Will Jonah Tong Ever Make Traditional Starts?
Tong is among the top pitching prospects in the Mets’ organization. FanGraphs ranked him at No. 3 heading into the 2026 campaign. It would be surprising to see him pigeonholed as a bulk reliever, considering his strong pedigree.
There’s no clear need to manage Tong’s workload, either. The 22-year-old already has multiple professional seasons of 100+ innings under his belt. He tossed 113 innings across three minor league levels in 2024. Tong delivered a career-high 113.2 innings between Double-A and Triple-A last season. He should be able to handle close to a typical starter’s workload this season. The Mets could use the length as they look to replace the injured Clay Holmes.
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