Jonah Tong will get another start.
The right-handed rookie who was shelled by the Texas Rangers in the first inning Friday night in only his third big league start is lined up to pitch against the Padres Thursday afternoon. Manager Carlos Mendoza cautioned against “overreacting” to one start, and said the way he’s bounced back from bad outings in the minor leagues gives the Mets confidence he’ll be able to do it again.
Handling tough outings is part of the big league development for Tong and fellow rookie rotating members Nolan McLean and Brandon Sproat.
“Clearly, what Jonah went through wasn’t pleasant for him to experience,” President of baseball operations David Stearns said. “But I also think it’s telling that pretty much every guy on our pitching staff after the game had a story to tell Jonah about something similar that has happened to them at some point in their careers, so this is something that even long time veteran major league pitchers go through.”
Right-hander Clay Holmes and left-hander Sean Manaea made a tandem start Tuesday in the series opener. They will likely do the same the next time through the rotation, but the Mets aren’t set on the order they’ll pitch. The hope is that the Mets can tap into a more successful Manaea and get more innings by using the two in a piggyback start.
The 33-year-old Manaea is in the midst of the worst season of his career, posting a 5.76 ERA in 10 starts (11 appearances) since returning from the injured list.
“I think Sean is frustrated, I think we’re frustrated that we haven’t been able to help him get over the hump there,” Stearns said. “There are reasons I think that we can pinpoint. His fastball is a very effective pitch, but he’s got to get it up in the zone a little bit more than perhaps he has been able to thus far this year. Probably a slightly different pitch mix, which isn’t terribly unusual year-to-year for a particular pitcher to find a slightly different pitch mix.
“But we’re going to need Sean over these next 12 games, and we’re going to need Sean into the playoffs.”
Right-hander Kodai Senga will make another start in Triple-A Syracuse later in the week. The Mets will then reassess, as they plan to after each of his minor league starts.
In other injury updates, catcher Luis Torrens is scheduled to catch seven innings in Syracuse on Tuesday night, and could be activated if he comes through without pain in his right forearm. Center fielder Tyrone Taylor (hamstring strain) returned to his Arizona home to be with his partner, Alyssa Banda, for the birth of the couple’s second child and first son. Stone Taylor was born Sunday, joining his sister, Saige. Taylor will return to New York on Wednesday to begin a rehab assignment.
STEARNS ENDORSES MENDOZA
Barring disaster, Mendoza will be returning next season. Stearns has voiced confidence in his handpicked manager throughout the course of the season, and did so again Tuesday, ahead of a series against the San Diego Padres.
“I think Mendy has done a very good job,” Stearns said. “He’s been a positive leader, a consistent leader, and has done what he can to get our group going. I think he’s going to continue to do that.”
It wasn’t exactly an emphatic response, but Stearns is rarely emphatic. For someone as deliberate and articulate as him, this might be the equivalent of heaping praise on the skipper.
“I think we’ve remained consistent as a group, [and] as a coaching staff,” Stearns said. “I think we’re putting in the work and doing our best to prepare our players, and that’s where our focus is.”
LA FAMILIA LINDOR
To celebrate Hispanic Heritage night, Katia Lindor, the wife of shortstop Francisco Lindor and an accomplished violinist, played the national anthem on the violin before the couple’s two daughters, Kalina and Amapola, kicked off the game by announcing “play ball” to the crowd.
Lindor was selected as the Mets’ nominee for the 2025 Roberto Clemente Award, and along with right-hander Edwin Diaz, another Puerto Rico native, wore No. 21 in the game to honor the humanitarian legacy of the late Hall of Famer.
