The New York Mets may have lost Thursday, but there’s a new wave of optimism pulsing through Queens this weekend.

Winners of five of their last seven, the Mets are playing with a swagger that hasn’t been seen in months.

Now comes another jolt of excitement: rookie pitcher Jonah Tong, the franchise’s top strikeout machine in the minors, is making his MLB debut on Friday.

Jonah Tong arrives with dominant strikeout numbers

Tong didn’t just impress in the minors—he overwhelmed opposing hitters in ways that demanded the Mets take notice.

Across 113.2 innings between Double-A and Triple-A, Jonah Tong piled up an eye-popping 179 strikeouts.

The Mets know strikeout artists can electrify a crowd, and Tong’s ability to miss bats is exactly what they need now.

His 1.43 ERA across the two upper

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