The San Diego Padres and New York Mets trade talks continue to generate intrigue, with Jonah Tong emerging as one of several young names drawing attention. While nothing appears imminent, the Padres’ interest in Mets pitching depth has quietly put Tong and other prospects back into the conversation.
“The Padres, meanwhile, are attracted to the Mets’ young pitchers, three of whom – Nolan McLean, Brandon Sproat and Jonah Tong – made their debuts last season. Of those, McLean is thought to be untouchable, or close to it. A less familiar pitcher on the 40-man roster, Jonathan Pintaro, also holds appeal to teams, according to people familiar with New York’s talks.” wrote Will Sammon and Ken Rosenthal for The Athletic.
That report reinforces the idea that San Diego’s focus is firmly on controllable arms rather than headline stars, a reality that shapes how the Mets are approaching these conversations. Tong’s inclusion alone is notable, given his age, upside, and proximity to contributing at the major-league level.
Why Jonah Tong isn’t an easy decision for the Mets
As Pat Ragazzo noted for Sports Illustrated, the Mets must tread carefully if Tong is truly part of any offseason dialogue. “The Mets need to be cautious if they’re truly serious about dealing Tong this offseason,” Ragazzo wrote, pointing out that the right-hander was named the organization’s Minor League Pitching Prospect of the Year in 2025.
At the same time, Tong’s brief major-league sample showed both promise and growing pains. “However, the remainder of his starts in the major leagues were a mixed bag,” Ragazzo explained, noting that Tong finished 2-3 with a 7.71 ERA across five starts and 18.2 innings.
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Still, the long-term projection remains difficult to ignore. “Regardless, there’s no denying Tong’s high ceiling and impressive potential,” Ragazzo added, emphasizing that the former seventh-round pick dominated the minors and could push for a rotation spot.
