The New York Mets have had remarkably good luck when it comes to their track record this year with rookie starters, but right-hander Jonah Tong may be the exception to the club’s success.
Did the Mets rush Tong to the majors? Will Sammon of the Athletic broke down this possibility in a recent segment on SNY Mets with host Niki Lattarullo and Pat McCarthy.
Unlike fellow rookie pitching phenoms Nolan McLean and Brandon Sproat, Tong got very little time at Triple A Syracuse this year, and at times he’s looked overwhelmed by the size of the jump he’s being asked to make.
“When you talk to other teams, they sort of raise that question,” Sammon said about Tong possibly being rushed. “They do this because this was a guy that, unlike McLean and unlike Sproat, did not have a whole lot of time at Triple A. So it was hard to see how his stuff would play.
“What we saw with the [Texas] Rangers is when you have a distinct approach him, and you’re taking that change up and you’re forcing him to be in the zone, maybe you can kind of get to him.”
Anyone who watched Tong’s painful six-run, first-inning meltdown against the Rangers last Friday would probably strike the word “maybe” from that statement. Tong looked overwhelmed as Texas hitters laced one line drive after another, and when a couple of bleeders fell in, it became obvious that it was time to rescue the rookie.
“This is just kind of the situation the Mets are in,” Sammon added. “I thought it was the best move to promote him when they did, because they had to see what they had with the guy because he is that good. Unfortunately for them, they’re in a situation where they’re relying on all these guys, and it’s a spot they shouldn’t be in.”
Tough circumstances aside, the Mets are where they are right now, and necessity is often the mother of bad pitching moves. Tong is listed as the prospective starter against the San Diego Padres in Thursday’s getaway game, but he’ll likely be on a very short leash, especially now that starter Sean Manaea has been moved to the bullpen. The Mets need to at least split this series, and veteran starters Clay Holmes and David Peterson will be first up to right the ship against the Padres in this crucial four-game set.