The New York Mets (76-72) have been on a downward spiral in September, entering Saturday in the midst of a seven-game losing streak and in danger of losing control of the final NL wild-card spot.
A major reason for the team’s recent skid has been the lack of starting pitching, forcing the Mets to rely heavily on rookies with limited big-league experience. Most notably, 22-year-old Jonah Tong has been called upon to make crucial starts down the stretch.
Although Tong may eventually develop into a high-quality starter, he had made just two starts in Triple-A before his call-up, and his debut came out of necessity with immediate pressure to deliver.
During Friday’s 8-3 loss to the Texas Rangers, Tong was roughed up and failed to make it out of the first inning, allowing six earned runs on four hits and three walks while recording just two outs. It marked his second straight loss and raised further concerns about his readiness for MLB action.
With questions mounting over Tong’s role, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza was asked Saturday whether the team had discussed removing him from the rotation.
Mendoza replied, “We haven’t had any conversations about not having Jonah start a game. As of right now, he is in the rotation.”
Carlos Mendoza says Jonah Tong is still in the rotation right now:
"We haven't had any conversations about not having Jonah start a game" pic.twitter.com/qmF1JVUWH5
— SNY (@SNYtv) September 13, 2025
Tong’s ERA sits at 8.49 through his first three starts. Although sending him down may seem like the obvious move, Mendoza likely realizes that’s not an option with the team dealing with injuries and underperformance across the rotation.
Kodai Senga could potentially return from the minor leagues, but his timeline remains uncertain and the team has been cautious with his development.
For now, the Mets will have to get the most out of their current young and inexperienced group. This is the roster general manager David Stearns constructed in the offseason, and now the team is feeling the holes in September.
