One of Canada's top young pitchers could be in position to return to the majors this weekend.
New York Mets right-hander Jonah Tong was scratched from his start at triple-A Syracuse on Wednesday. Manager Carlos Mendoza said the move was made to keep the Markham, Ont., native "in play" for a start in the team's upcoming series against the Miami Marlins.
"There's a chance that he plays a part in the Miami series for us," Mendoza said. "But we gotta get through today. We gotta get through tomorrow, and then we'll go from there.
"We just want to keep him in play in case there's a need here."
Tong shot up New York's minor-league affiliates in 2025, striking out 179 batters in 113.2 innings split between double-A Binghamton and triple-A Syracuse. Along with his monster punchout numbers, Tong carried a 1.43 ERA in the minors and was named the MiLB pitcher of the year.
His strong showing earned him a late-August recall to the Mets. And while Tong battled inconsistency against major-league hitters, he still struck out 22 in 18.2 innings and made five starts for the Mets down the stretch.
The 22-year-old was optioned back to triple-A to begin the 2026 season, where he has been tasked with improving some of his secondary offerings.
So far, the results haven't quite been as solid as they were in 2025. Over nine starts, Tong owns a 5.68 ERA, but he has still racked up 55 strikeouts in 38 innings.
Amid the disappointing start to their season, the Mets have lost a number of players to the injured list. That includes starters Clay Holmes and Kodai Senga, creating a need that Tong may be tabbed to fill.
"We don't know," Mendoza said when asked if Tong would be brought back to pitch as a starter. "It depends on the way we finish the game today and where we're at, pitching-wise. It's kind of a day-to-day, but in the meantime, he's available."
New York wraps up its series against the Washington Nationals on Thursday before heading to Miami for a weekend set with the Marlins
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