#jonah-tong

#jonah-tong

When Tong was promoted last week, it wasn't clear if it was for a spot start with a ticket back to Triple-A Syracuse or a chance to stay in the rotation. After collecting his first win against the Miami Marlins in his debut, Tong earned at least one more start, slated for later this week. The 22-year-old right-hander allowed four runs in five frames, but only one was earned. He fanned six without issuing a free pass. Strikeouts were his calling card on the farm, punching out 162 in 102 frames.

Canadian Jonah Tong walked in from the bullpen to a loud ovation and took the mound to another boisterous reaction from the sellout crowd. Tong threw six pitches in three minutes and then sat for about 25 minutes. The 22-year-old from Markham, Ont., threw 20 more in the second inning and his break lasted slightly longer. In his anticipated debut, Tong completed his first five innings as a major leaguer on a Friday night when the Mets set a team record for runs in a home game and earned another start in New York's six-man rotation in the midst of a playoff race.

Since July 1, his ERA has ballooned to 5.09. From the start, many wondered if he would be able to hold up over an entire season. His late-season decline shows he still needs to build his arm strength. However, fortunately for New York, he was once an elite reliever, and he can make the transition back far easier than most starting pitchers.