Jonah Tong pulled after six-run first inning as Mets' skid reaches six

Jonah Tong was removed in the first inning Friday night after yielding six runs and throwing 40 pitches, leaving the New York Mets staring at a big early deficit and a sixth straight loss in a key stretch of the playoff race.

Tong, a 22-year-old right-hander making his third major league start, delivered the game’s first pitch at 7:11 p.m. at Citi Field before a mounting crowd reaction and manager Carlos Mendoza’s mound visit at 7:30 p.m. signaled the end of his night. He recorded two outs before he was pulled; Huascar Brazobán was summoned from the bullpen to finish the frame.

Tong began the inning by struggling to find the strike zone, walking Josh Smith and Joc Pederson around a Wyatt Langford strikeout. A flyout by Jake Burger moved Tong to one out from escaping the inning, but the next five batters reached base and produced the damage. Josh Jung’s single to right scored one run and Alejandro Osuna followed with another RBI single. Jonah Heim drew a five-pitch walk to load the bases, and Cody Freeman’s single to right produced two more runs. Michael Helman then doubled down the left-field line to drive in two additional runs, pushing the Rangers’ total to six in the first.

The early onslaught left the Mets reeling before ace Jacob deGrom could take the mound. Fans who had come hoping to see both Tong and deGrom instead watched the young right-hander’s brief and turbulent appearance draw boos and audible frustration as he walked off the field.

Tong’s outing marked a sharp turn from the enthusiasm that greeted the prospect’s arrival. In his third career start, the right-hander’s inability to command strikes and the rapid sequence of hits and walks capped what became a decisive opening frame for Texas.

The loss extended New York’s losing streak to six games, a concerning development as the team navigates the final weeks of the regular season and a tight divisional and wild-card chase. Manager Mendoza made the early change to limit further damage and turn to the bullpen while attempting to preserve the rotation behind deGrom.

The Mets will assess Tong’s outing and the club’s pitching usage as they try to halt the skid. The team’s ability to recover offensively and steady the pitching staff in the coming days will be central to its playoff prospects as the season enters its critical stretch.