Mets' Jonah Tong impressive in MLB debut, club scores 19 runs to crush Marlins

As Jonah Tong walked off the field after each inning Friday night, a Mets fan seated behind the dugout held up a sign reading: “IT’S A NEW DAY DAWNING.”

Indeed.

The 22-year-old righthander, handed a five-run cushion after one inning and a 12-run advantage after two in his MLB debut, passed his first big-league test with flying colors.

Tong pitched five innings against the Marlins, allowing four runs (only one earned in a two-error fifth) and six hits. He struck out six and walked none, earning the win in a 19-9 decision.

The Mets led 12-4 when he exited to roars from the 42,112 at sold-out Citi Field.

"That's everything I've ever dreamed of as a kid growing up," Tong said, "and to see it unfold like that, it's insane. That’s the only word I can really describe it as.”

Tong joined Dwight Gooden as the only Met aged 22 or younger to go at least five innings and allow one or zero earned runs in an MLB debut.

The Mets’ 19 runs are their most in a home game in franchise history. They exploded for 18 hits and six homers, two from Brandon Nimmo and one each from Pete Alonso, Juan Soto, Mark Vientos and Luis Torrens.

The Mets (73-62), who have won six of their last eight, remained five games behind  the NL East-leading Phillies (78-57), who defeated Atlanta, 2-1, on Friday night. They increased their lead over Cincinnati for the NL’s final wild card to five games.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said  Tong will get another start and the team will use a six-man rotation “for now.”

Said Tong: “Sweet. Take it one day at a time, but that’s awesome to hear.”

Tong — the Mets’ fourth-ranked prospect and the No. 44 prospect in baseball, according to MLB.com — threw 97 pitches, 63 for strikes. He threw 59 four-seam fastballs (averaging 95.4 mph), 24 changeups, 13 curveballs and a slider. Mendoza said Tong’s curveball, which averaged 77.7 mph, was even better than anticipated.

Tong has drawn comparisons to two-time Cy Young Award recipient Tim Lincecum with a deceptive over-the-top delivery and follow-through.

MUST SEE: Jonah Tong's follow through is identical to Tim Lincecum's 🤯 pic.twitter.com/uMGs1GblB6

— MLB (@MLB) August 30, 2025

“Putting out some 23-inch, 97 mile-an-hour fastballs,” Nimmo said. “I mean, that's impressive.”

He was scored upon only in the fifth. Eric Wagaman had an RBI single to make it 12-1, and after Tong struck out Joey Wiemer, Francisco Lindor dropped Brett Baty’s throw on a potential double-play ball. Wagaman then scored on Alonso’s error and Otto Lopez’s single drove in two runs. Tong struck out Liam Hicks, who Mendoza said would be his last batter regardless, to end the inning.

“I couldn’t really feel my feet,” Tong said of his thoughts as he left the game.

Tong needed only six pitches in a smooth 1-2-3 first inning. He had a 5-0 lead after the first, thanks to Soto’s two-run homer and Nimmo’s three-run blast. The first five Mets all scored against righthander Eury Perez (6-4, 4.04 ERA), who had a nightmarish start despite entering with a 3.44 ERA and 0.98 WHIP. Perez lasted only two-thirds of an inning, allowing five runs, three hits and two walks.

“Obviously, he didn't have his best stuff today,” Mendoza said. “But he's a really good arm.”

Lopez led off the second with a double, but Tong retired the next three Marlins.

With a 12-0 lead in the third, Tong recorded his first two big-league strikeouts, working around singles by Wagaman and Xavier Edwards.

The run support resulted in a 24-minute gap between his last pitch of the first and his first of the second, and a 27-minute pause between his last second-inning pitch and first third-inning pitch, according to the SNY broadcast.

Former Met (and Duck) Tyler Zuber relieved Perez, and his one-inning outing arguably was worse. The Mets scored seven runs in the second, all with two outs and all charged to Zuber. Soto hit a two-out single and Alonso followed with his 31st homer, a two-run shot. Starling Marte had an RBI single and Tyrone Taylor and Francisco Lindor each had a two-run double.

The homers by Vientos and Torrens, who allowed four runs pitching the ninth, were part of a six-run eighth against infielder Javier Sanoja.

Tong’s start came 13 days after fellow rookie righthander Nolan McLean, who has dazzled with a 3-0 record and 0.89 ERA in his first three starts, made his debut.

“He needs to be Jonah Tong,” Mendoza said before the game. “Let Nolan McLean be Nolan McLean.”

Tong being Tong certainly seems like enough.

“They’re going to feed off each other,” Mendoza said. “And then when you see what the potential could be and then they’re contributing right away  . . .  obviously exciting.”