Mets prospect Jonah Tong leads way in perfect game — but gets pulled with one out to go

The Mets outrageously robbed 1 of their own apical prospects of perfection.

Jonah Tong was pulled 1 retired from achieving a cleanable crippled Saturday aft reaching 99 pitches for Double-A Binghamton.

Reliever TJ Shook vanished disconnected nan job.

Jonah Tong of nan New York Mets throws a transportation during nan first inning of a outpouring training Spring Breakout crippled against nan Washington Nationals astatine CACTI Park of nan Palm Beaches connected March 16, 2025 successful West Palm Beach, Florida. Diamond Images/Getty Images

Sure, it only was a seven-inning crippled nether nan rules governing minor-league doubleheaders, but it still counts arsenic a cleanable crippled — nan first successful Binghamton’s history — for nan grounds books.

Tong astir apt would person traded 1 aliases 2 of his 13 strikeouts to shave a fewer pitches disconnected his count and person a chance to decorativeness a seven-inning masterpiece.

He allowed nary hits and nary walks complete 6 2/3 innings, while throwing 61 of 99 pitches for strikes.

After Shook struck retired nan last batter for nan Reading Phillies successful a 6-0 triumph successful nan nightcap of nan double dip, nan Rumble Ponies had a very subdued on-field ceremony — for illustration a run-of-the-mill win.

Tong is nan Mets’ No. 6-ranked imaginable — 3rd among pitchers — according to MLB.com.

The 13 strikeouts, which began pinch 3 successful nan first inning, group a profession high.

As you’d expect, erstwhile Rumble Ponies head Reid Brignac — a erstwhile awesome leaguer — made nan telephone to nan bullpen from nan mound, nan location crowd booed and Tong rolled his caput backmost successful what appeared for illustration disbelief.

Jonah Tong of nan New York Mets prepares to transportation during nan 2nd inning of a outpouring training Spring Breakout crippled against nan Washington Nationals astatine CACTI Park of nan Palm Beaches connected March 16, 2025 successful West Palm Beach, Florida. Diamond Images/Getty Images

Tong has 40 strikeouts complete his past 19 innings sounded and lowered his play ERA to 2.57.

The 21-year-old right-hander was primitively a seventh-round draught prime retired of precocious schoolhouse successful 2022.

He made 2 appearances astatine Double-A past play but has sounded good complete six starts astatine nan level to commencement this season.

Top prospects Jett Williams and Ryan Clifford supported Tong; some players had a two-run hit.