By almost any standard, Nolan McLean is off to the best start for any rookie pitcher in New York Mets history.
And if the scouting report is correct, Jonah Tong might be even better.
Tong, the Mets’ No. 4 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, will make his major league debut Friday night when he takes the mound against the visiting Miami Marlins in the second contest of a four-game series.
Tong, 22, is slated to oppose fellow right-hander Eury Perez (6-3, 3.44 ERA).
The Marlins cooled off the surging Mets 7-4 on Thursday after taking advantage of three errors to score five unearned runs.
The loss ended a three-game winning streak for the Mets and provides Tong a chance to begin providing an immediate boost a la McLean, whose promotion Aug. 16 coincided with the start of an 8-4 stretch for New York.
McLean is the first pitcher in franchise history to win his first three big league starts. His ERA is 0.89, which also is a team record for a rookie through three starts.
Tong is a seventh-round pick of the Mets in 2022 whose delivery is reminiscent of two-time National League Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum. Tong went 10-5 with a 1.43 ERA and 179 strikeouts in 113 2/3 innings between Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Syracuse.
He pitched 11 2/3 scoreless innings with 17 strikeouts in his two starts at Syracuse before being recalled.
“That kid’s special,” McLean, 24, said following his eight scoreless innings in Wednesday’s 6-0 win over the Philadelphia Phillies. “I remember when I first got drafted (in 2023), I stood in one of those bullpens just to watch. Haven’t seen a fastball like that before. And I know he’s developed three more pitches since then and they are all plus.
“It’s going to be fun to watch him Friday. Can’t wait.”
Tong will oppose a pitcher who knows plenty about heightened expectations. Perez finished seventh in the National League Rookie of the Year voting in 2023 but missed last season following Tommy John surgery.
The 22-year-old returned to the Marlins on June 9 and has rounded into form over his last 10 starts, a span in which he’s gone 6-1 with a 2.63 ERA and 56 strikeouts in 54 2/3 innings.
Perez has allowed two or fewer runs on seven occasions in that stretch — including last Sunday, when he gave up two runs over six innings and earned the win as the Marlins beat the Toronto Blue Jays 5-3.
“He had a really electric fastball today, and the command of his pitches was great,” Miami manager Clayton McCullough said after Perez struck out four and walked one while throwing a career-high 94 pitches. “I think he utilized all of his stuff.”
Perez made his lone start against the Mets in the final appearance of his rookie season on Sept. 20, 2023, when he took the defeat after allowing three runs (two earned) over three innings in the Mets’ 8-3 win.
–Field Level Media
