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• Updated May 29, 2026 at 11:07am

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The New York Mets will keep Jonah Tong on the roster.

Right-hander Jonah Tong will remain on the New York Mets roster moving forward following a stellar performance against the Cincinnati Reds that resulted in his first win of the season.

Manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters, including Laura Albanese of Newsday, that the club will “get creative” with Tong so he can continue to contribute with the big-league squad. The top prospect has worked as a bulk reliever in both MLB appearances this year.

Huascar Brazoban tossed a scoreless frame on Wednesday, May 26, against the Reds, then Tong followed with 3.2 innings. The righty allowed just an unearned run and got enough support from the offense to secure the victory. Tong has yet to permit an earned run through 6.2 frames with the Mets in 2026. New York has allowed just four runs in Tong’s two games.

New York Mets Roster News: Jonah Tong Will Remain With the Team

The Mets are scrambling for reliable pitching with Clay Holmes and Kodai Senga on the injured list. Senga is ramping up toward an MLB return, but Holmes will be sidelined through the All-Star break with a fractured fibula. New York is also considering a replacement for left-hander David Peterson, who has struggled as a starter this year. Sean Manaea is in the mix to join the rotation, though he’s also pitched poorly in 2026.

Tong worked in tandem with Manaea in his first MLB outing of the season. He was recalled in late May after Holmes went down with his injury. Tobias Myers opened a matchup against the Miami Marlins on Friday, May 22, covering 1.1 innings. Manaea followed with 3.2 frames of one-run ball. Tong finished off the game with three scoreless innings. The Mets lost 2-1, but the pitching wasn’t the issue.

The second big-league stint for Tong has gone much smoother than his first foray at the highest level. The righty was pounded for 16 earned runs over 18.2 innings last season. He struck out more than a batter per inning, but permitted nine walks and allowed three home runs. Tong didn’t seem like a viable member of the rotation and was not in consideration for a roster spot heading into the 2026 campaign.

Can Tong Stick at the Big-League Level?

Tong is among the top prospects in the Mets’ system. FanGraphs ranked him at No. 3 heading into this season. MLB Pipeline put him in the No. 2 spot, behind only infielder/outfielder A.J. Ewing. The versatile Ewing was promoted recently and has already made an impact with the big-league squad.

While he’s pitched well so far with the Mets, Tong had posted uneven results at Triple-A this season. He had an ugly 5.68 ERA through nine starts. His 32.7% strikeout rate was impressive, but it came with a 14.3% walk rate. Throwing strikes is the biggest hurdle for Tong to clear as he looks to establish himself as a big leaguer. He has a hefty 12.2% walk rate across seven MLB appearances. The righty has been in the strike zone on just 50.1% of his pitches. Tong has been able to keep runs off the board, but a 3:5 strikeout-to-walk ratio is sure to come back to bite him.