On Tuesday, the club announced that Jonah Tong, 22, their No. 3 prospect (Baseball America), was getting the start against the Miami Marlins on Friday.
His rapid rise through the Mets' farm system should come as no surprise, as he's dominated at every level he's pitched in. What is surprising is that he leapfrogged a player many believed would be the next prospect called to help the team in Queens: Brandon Sproat, 24, the team's No. 5 prospect.
Ahead of Tuesday's game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns revealed why the organization felt it was the right time for Tong.
"Brandon has done a tremendous job, and he's probably had as good a second-half ... as any pitcher in minor league baseball," Stearns said. "... We've talked about Brandon a lot, and this was really just what Jonah has accomplished, plus the timing of this, lining up, keeping him on turn, on his normal rest (and) progression.
"But we think Brandon's got a really bright future and we're excited about it."
Stearns explains that logistics played into this decision. Tong last pitched on Saturday, putting him in line for a Friday start in the minor leagues. With his most recent start on Sunday, Sproat is lined up to go again Saturday.
Performance was also a factor in this decision.
Despite a slow start in Triple-A this season, Sproat has settled in. He has a 2.77 ERA (16 earned runs in 52 innings) with 61 strikeouts in his last 10 games.
Meanwhile, Tong hasn't missed a step in any level he's played in this season. He posted a 1.59 ERA with 162 strikeouts in 20 Double-A starts, and has yet to allow a run in 11 2/3 innings in Triple-A.
"As you roll into the last month of the season, you want to have the best roster you possibly can," Stearns said. "And we think Jonah has a chance to be among that; he's earned the opportunity."
The Mets have not committed to keeping Tong beyond his start on Friday. They have acknowledged that their approach with their rotation is "start by start," meaning, so long as a pitcher continues to perform, he'll keep getting chances.
With the Mets six games behind the Phillies in the NL East and with a slight, 2.5 game lead for the third NL Wild Card spot, fielding their best roster is imperative.
"We're getting to a point now where our job is to put the best guys out there day in and day out, and the players that are going to give us the best chance to win," Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. "(Tong's) going to get an opportunity on Friday, and then we'll go from there."