Pitcher Jonah Tong delivered the best start of his Major League career on Monday, completing six innings without allowing an earned run in a 2-1 loss to the Orioles, despite a portion of the Citi Field crowd vocally favoring his opponent, former Met Pete Alonso. Tong's outing marked his first quality start in his 11th career appearance, a significant improvement from a previous outing against Jacob deGrom where he did not complete the first inning.
On a night where the crowd's attention was largely focused on Alonso's return, Tong managed to impress with his performance. He struck out six batters, allowed only one unearned run on four hits, and issued just one walk. Interim manager Andy Green praised Tong's effectiveness and demeanor, calling him "a bulldog on the attack."
The game's atmosphere was dominated by the fans' reception of Alonso. During Alonso's third-inning at-bat, a potential home run that went foul drew significant cheers, with the crowd on its feet to acknowledge the Baltimore first baseman. Alonso eventually walked, which was met with boos directed at the current Mets front office, a sentiment that also touched on the team's past decisions.
"I think next time [the fans] got to give the pitcher a little more love, too," said Mets player Francisco Lindor, acknowledging the passionate support for Alonso. Green echoed this sentiment, commending Tong for his resilience: "He’s taken some real major strides, and it’s fun to see."
Tong's recent success follows a challenging year in 2026, during which he worked on arsenal and arm-angle adjustments in Triple-A Syracuse. His performance in August earned him a September call-up, and he expressed that the struggles of the past year have ultimately made him stronger.
"I think [the 2026 struggles are] something I’m going to have to live with, and I’m happy for it," Tong stated. "I mean, there’s a lot of times in life that you’re going to struggle, and the best learning happens through that. I welcome it."
