Tong's recent turnaround with Triple-A Syracuse has made him a candidate to replace Robert Stock in the Mets' rotation when rosters expand in September, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.
Tong has struggled this season to maintain his extreme over-the-top arm angle while incorporating new pitches into his arsenal, primarily a cutter, but the 23-year-old right-hander may have finally figured things out. He's allowed one run or fewer in five of his last six starts for Syracuse, posting a 2.48 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 34:15 K:BB over 29 innings during that stretch. Stock will stay on turn Monday -- the final day of August -- for a road start against the Rays, but if Tong maintains or even improves on his current form when he takes the mound Saturday at Triple-A, his next start will likely come in the big leagues.