Behind scenes with NY Mets and Mariners at MLB Little League Classic
The Little League Classic was a day chock full of events for the Mets and Mariners on Aug. 17, 2025, in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
NEW YORK — On the heels of a momentous sweep against the Phillies earlier this week, the Mets suffered a letdown in their series opener against the Marlins on Friday night.
With three errors leading to five unearned runs, the Mets dropped a 7-4 result at Citi Field to begin their four-game set with their Floridian counterparts in the NL East.
Now, all eyes will be on 22-year-old Jonah Tong, who will be making his MLB debut in the second game of the series at 7:10 p.m. on Friday night at Citi Field.
Tong has launched up the Mets’ minor league ranks, making just two starts in Triple-A Syracuse before earning the call-up to make his first start on Friday. Between Double A and Triple A, Tong is 10-5 with a 1.43 ERA and a minor-league best 179 strikeouts in 113⅔ innings.
It will be a tough pitching matchup as the Marlins counter with 22-year-old right-hander Eury Perez, who is 6-3 with a 3.44 ERA and 0.98 WHIP in 14 starts this season.
As the Mets and Marlins face off on Friday, here are the lineup for both sides:
NY Mets announce Friday lineup vs Marlins