Due to the steady rise of New York Mets rookies such as Nolan McLean and Carson Benge, it can be easy to forget that prospect development isn’t always linear.

That’s been the case for 23-year-old right-hander Jonah Tong, who skyrocketed through the Mets organization last season, only to struggle for long stretches of this one.

But throughout this year of mechanical issues and inconsistency, Tong has demonstrated resilience.

A recent hot streak at Triple-A Syracuse prompted the Mets to promote Tong for Monday afternoon’s game against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot Park, marking his first start in the majors since last Sept. 25.

And while Tong wasn’t perfect Monday, his performance in the Mets’ 9-4 victory served as a microcosm of his roller-coaster season.

Tong allowed four runs in five innings with seven strikeouts, collecting the win on an afternoon the Mets (66-78) erupted offensively.

“Really pleased with his outing,” interim manager Andy Green said.

“I know he’s not going to love the line at the end of the day with the four runs coming in, but the way he pitched today was way better than that line is going to indicate.”

Early on, Tong flashed the promise that turned him into one of the Mets’ top farmhands. He struck out each of the first four Miami batters — including a dominant, 13-pitch first inning in which he punched out the side.

But Tong allowed four consecutive batters to reach with one out in the second inning, which included an RBI triple by Javier Sanoja and a three-run home run by Graham Pauley.

Tong needed 34 pitches to get through that four-run frame, putting the rest of his afternoon in jeopardy.

However, Tong settled in from there, finishing his outing with three straight scoreless innings to end on a high note.

“The second inning is one of those things that, like, the only hits he gives up all day are sequenced together right there, and the home run bites pretty hard at that point in time,” Green said. “To watch him be a cutthroat competitor, get in there and just go right back at them for the next three innings, it was really good.”

Tong threw 55 of his 87 pitches for strikes and finished off six of his seven strikeouts using his changeup. He gave up four hits, a walk and a hit-by-pitch during an outing he described as “good.”

“Just one walk and a couple of pitches here and there, but that’s just me being nitpicky,” Tong said. “I’m happy with it. The team won.”

Tong is now 2-1 with a 4.80 ERA over four big-league appearances this season, with his previous three outings coming out of the bullpen during a call-up from late May to early June.

Using a deceptive high release point, Tong flourished in the minors in 2025, pitching to a sterling 1.43 ERA and 179 strikeouts in 113 2/3 innings over 22 starts at Double-A and Triple-A.

Tong then made his MLB debut in August 2025 but struggled to a 7.71 ERA in five starts.

Still, Tong began this season as the Mets’ No. 3 prospect and as the No. 48 prospect in the sport, according to MLB Pipeline.

His standing has slipped after he went 5-6 with a 4.54 ERA in 23 starts at Triple-A this year, a season in which he’s worked through different arm angles. MLB Pipeline now rates Tong as the Mets’ No. 5 prospect — and that’s with current big-leaguers McLean, Benge and A.J. Ewing no longer ranked.

He is no longer ranked within MLB Pipeline’s league-wide top-100 prospects.

Tong has fared far better of late. In his final four starts before his call-up, Tong allowed just two runs in 21 1/3 innings with 23 strikeouts.

Before recalling Tong before Monday’s series opener against the Marlins (72-73), Green said the right-hander would remain with the Mets moving forward.

“It’s just more experience,” Tong said. “I felt it. Last year, I felt like a kid going out there every time, just being shell-shocked by a lot of things. Now, my feet are more set than [they were] last year. Just going out there and trying to do my job.”

Tong wasn’t the only Mets rookie who contributed to Monday’s win. Ewing went 3 for 5 with three RBI, with his two-run double in the fourth inning and run-scoring single in the sixth padding the Mets’ lead.

Ewing batted just .171 without an RBI in August, and Green gave the 22-year-old center fielder the day off Friday to help him reset. In three games since, Ewing is 6 for 10 (.600) with a home run, five RBI and two walks.

Nick Morabito, another rookie, went 2 for 4 with an RBI and the first stolen base of his MLB career on Monday.

The Mets tagged Marlins starter Eury Pérez for seven runs (five earned) on 10 hits over four innings.

Bo Bichette’s fourth-inning RBI single against Pérez broke a 4-4 tie and held up as the game-winner. It was the second day in a row that Bichette delivered the decisive go-ahead hit, following his three-run homer in the eighth inning of Sunday’s 4-2 win over the San Francisco Giants.

The three-game series in Miami continues Tuesday night, with left-hander Sean Manaea (4-7, 4.70 ERA) set to start for the Mets and ace right-hander Sandy Alcantara (13-9, 3.54 ERA) lined up for Miami.

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