"Three hours before he was scheduled to throw the game's first pitch, Jonah Tong stood, barefoot, in the centerfield grass at Citi Field and stared toward home plate, 400 feet away. Tong wore long black shorts and a long-sleeve black t-shirt with "Mets" in script across the chest. His black hair was wet from a shower. Tong balanced on his right leg for a minute. He balanced on his left leg. He practiced his golf swing."
"Sure enough, things soured quickly in the top of the first inning. Tong was terrible. He had trouble with his control, issuing three walks. When he did throw strikes, he gave up four hits and six runs to the Texas Rangers. Tong's night was done after just nine batters and 17 minutes, and before he could get three outs. There was a smattering of boos as he walked to the dugout."
Jonah Tong prepared calmly before his third major league start, practicing routines while standing in centerfield. He entered a Mets rotation amid a three-month slide that threatened the team's playoff standing. The arrivals of Tong, Nolan McLean and Brandon Sproat briefly revitalized the roster with youth and optimism. Tong struggled immediately, issuing three walks, surrendering four hits and six runs to the Texas Rangers, and exited after nine batters and 17 minutes to mixed boos. The Mets invested heavily in offense, notably signing Juan Soto and posting a $323 million payroll, but did not spend comparably on starting pitching and leaned on less-proven options.
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