Jonah Tong's Short Outing Adds Pressure to Mets' Pitching Staff Amid Wild Card Push

New York Mets right-hander Jonah Tong had a challenging start on September 25, failing to record an out in the third inning and surrendering five runs in a 10-3 loss to the Chicago Cubs. This short outing further strained the Mets' beleaguered pitching staff, forcing manager Carlos Mendoza to piece together innings with key relievers like Huascar Brazobán, Tyler Rogers, and Edwin Diaz unavailable. Tong, 22, struggled with fastball elevation and pitch mixing, primarily relying on his fastball and changeup. Despite a strong second inning, he gave up a string of hits in the third. Mendoza acknowledged the difficulty for young pitchers like Tong, Brandon Sproat, and Nolan McLean to perform under high pressure during a Wild Card race, but doesn't believe this 7.71 ERA performance will hinder Tong's development. Tong, who could still see action before the season ends, expressed a desire to execute pitches better and slow the game down.