Metropolitan Chinese-American pitcher Jonah Tong made his MLB debut, striking out six batters, allowing one run, and earning the win.

Approximately four hours before Jonah Tong’s anticipated major league debut, a stadium worker stationed outside the Mets’ clubhouse was engrossed in a television feature about the team’s latest pitcher. When the shot focused on Tong’s face, the worker shook his head.

“He’s just a kid,” he said, referring to the player ranked as the Mets’ fourth top rookie by MLB. “They’re going to put him on the mound tonight.”

Of course, it would be foolish to underestimate Tong simply because of his youthful appearance. There’s a reason he earned a spot at Citi Field. Using his fastball, which sits around 95 mph, his slider that has become his secondary best pitch, and a curveball with precise control, Tong has carved out his path.

Armed with these tools, Tong kept the Marlins’ hitters mostly at bay during his debut. Thanks to an early 12-run lead, he confidently challenged Miami’s batters. In the third inning, he struck out his first batter with a well-controlled 12-6 curveball, then froze another hitter with a 96 mph fastball. Tong struck out two more in the fourth inning, totaling six strikeouts, finishing with a 95.4 mph fastball that struck out the last batter, caught by catcher Luis Torrens low in the strike zone.

Moreover, thanks to the Mets’ offense giving him a double-digit lead before the end of the second inning, Tong secured his first major league win in the Mets’ 19-9 victory.

The Mets’ offense did everything possible to make Tong’s debut stress-free, with Juan Soto hitting a two-run homer, Brandon Nimmo a three-run homer, and a seven-run rally in the second inning providing ample run support. However, their defense helped far less, committing two errors in the fifth inning that led to three unearned runs. By then, though, Tong had enough cushion to handle those setbacks.

Besides the six strikeouts, Tong allowed six hits over five innings, gave up four runs (one earned), and did not issue any walks.