Jonah Tong Joins Mets After Craig Kimbrel DFA Move
The Mets recalled jonah tong from Triple-A Syracuse on the same day they designated Craig Kimbrel for assignment. Tong gives them another right-handed arm after Clay Holmes went on the injured list and the rotation began leaning on shorter-term fixes.
Tong Gets the Call
Jonah Tong had been starting in Triple-A this year, and the Mets brought him up while their major league rotation continued to shuffle around injuries and uneven recent performances. He had posted a 5.68 ERA in Syracuse before the promotion.
The move came as the Mets tried to cover innings without Holmes, whose fractured fibula is expected to keep him out for a few months. Tobias Myers is starting today, and Sean Manaea is capable of working long relief if the club needs length behind him.
Kimbrel’s Short Stay
Kimbrel, who is 38 next week, had thrown 15 innings for the Mets since being added to the roster. In that span, he allowed 10 earned runs for a 6.00 ERA, numbers that left the club with a clear decision when it needed room for Tong.
The right-hander’s split line included a 23.4% strikeout rate, a 9.4% walk rate, a.325 batting average on balls in play, a 56.2% strand rate, a 15.8% home run to fly ball ratio, a 4.90 FIP and a 3.76 SIERA. Those figures show why the Mets moved on quickly after bringing him in on a minor league deal that would pay $2.5 million if his contract was selected.
Rotation Pressure In Queens
Four rotation spots are currently taken by Freddy Peralta, Nolan McLean, Christian Scott and David Peterson, leaving less room for error when Holmes is unavailable. Peterson has an ERA north of 5.00, and Zach Thornton made his debut this week and allowed four earned runs in 4 1/3 innings.
That is the opening Tong is stepping into. The Mets have kept turning to younger arms, and this recall puts him next in line to absorb innings while the staff tries to settle around the names it has left.
