NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Mets are calling up another top pitching prospect in the middle of a pennant race.
Jonah Tong will be promoted to start Friday night against the Miami Marlins after only two outings at Triple-A Syracuse. The 22-year-old right-hander has overpowered minor league hitters, striking out 377 while compiling a 2.54 ERA in 247 2/3 career innings.
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New York Mets' Francisco Alvarez, center, is tend to by first base coach Antoan Richardson (66) and manager Carlos Mendoza after being injured sliding into second during the seventh inning of the Little League Classic baseball game against the Seattle Mariners at Bowman Field in Williamsport, Pa., Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
New York Mets pitcher Nolan McLean (26) delivers in the first inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Friday, Aug. 22, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
New York Mets pitcher Nolan McLean throws during the second inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)
New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza, left, talks with Brett Baty during batting practice before a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)
“I think it's all about him dominating the minor leagues,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said before Tuesday night's 6-5 win over Philadelphia. “It's hard to keep him there, you know? So, here he is now."
With the Mets in a stretch of 16 games without a day off, they want to insert a sixth starter next time through the rotation to give the regular members an extra day of rest. Frankie Montas was largely ineffective this year before being demoted to the bullpen and landing on the injured list recently with a season-ending elbow ailment that is expected to require Tommy John surgery.
Depending on his performance, Tong could stick with the major league club down the stretch.
“We're going turn by turn at this point,” president of baseball operations David Stearns said. “I think in September we try not to plan too far ahead.”
The decision comes soon after the Mets brought up touted pitcher Nolan McLean from Syracuse to make his debut Aug. 16 against Seattle.
With the team starved for length and dependability from any starter besides David Peterson, the 24-year-old McLean has delivered, going 2-0 with a 1.46 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 12 1/3 innings over two big league starts.
“It's an exciting time for the organization. But at the same time, I don't want to put too much on (Tong's) plate. McLean is McLean, and Jonah Tong is Jonah Tong,” Mendoza said. “It's hard to ask these guys to come up here and save us, whatever you want to call it. It's more like, go out there, be yourself, don't put extra pressure — but he earned it. He earned it. I'm excited, we're all excited.”
McLean is set to make his third start Wednesday night against Philadelphia, which leads the NL East by five games over the Mets heading into their series finale at Citi Field.
New York is 3 1/2 games ahead of Cincinnati for the final National League wild card.
“We're getting to the point where like, every game, we've got to put our best guys out there,” Mendoza said.
Tong, born and raised in Canada, went to the Georgia Premier Academy and MLB Draft League to showcase his talents as a teenager. He was selected by the Mets in the seventh round of the 2022 amateur draft and really started to take off in the minors last year, when he pitched at three levels.
This season, he went 8-5 with a 1.59 ERA and 162 strikeouts against 44 walks in 20 starts covering 102 innings at Double-A Binghamton. He was promoted to Triple-A on Aug. 11 and encountered little trouble there, too, going 2-0 with 17 strikeouts and three walks in 11 2/3 scoreless innings.
“There's no question this is fast,” Stearns said. “We think he's ready for this.”
With his slight build and deceptive delivery, the 6-foot-1, 180-pound Tong has drawn comparisons to Tim Lincecum, a two-time NL Cy Young Award winner and four-time All-Star with the San Francisco Giants who pitched in the majors from 2007-16.
Tong is rated the Mets’ No. 4 prospect, one spot behind McLean, and 44th overall in baseball by MLB Pipeline. And it's been a rapid rise — Mendoza said he first met Tong in spring training this year, when the young pitcher was performing his assigned duties as a ball boy for a Triple-A game.
“He dominated the minor leagues,” Mendoza said. “Too much to like. We've got to give the kid an opportunity.”
In other news, Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez (right thumb UCL sprain) was scheduled to throw to bases Tuesday and begin a minor league rehab assignment Wednesday at Triple-A.
Right-hander Tylor Megill (elbow sprain) is scheduled to pitch in that game for Syracuse.
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
New York Mets' Francisco Alvarez, center, is tend to by first base coach Antoan Richardson (66) and manager Carlos Mendoza after being injured sliding into second during the seventh inning of the Little League Classic baseball game against the Seattle Mariners at Bowman Field in Williamsport, Pa., Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
New York Mets pitcher Nolan McLean (26) delivers in the first inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Friday, Aug. 22, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
New York Mets pitcher Nolan McLean throws during the second inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)
New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza, left, talks with Brett Baty during batting practice before a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/John McDonnell)
MCLEAN, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 15, 2026--
Hilton (NYSE: HLT) today announced Apartment Collection by Hilton, a new lodging category within Hilton's growing collection brand portfolio – offering unique, spacious furnished apartments with the trusted hospitality and reliability guests expect from Hilton. Apartment Collection by Hilton will be available for booking through Hilton channels in the first half of 2026, with initial properties in the U.S. launched in partnership with Placemakr—a leading apartment hospitality brand and operator specializing in flexible, short-term and extended-stay accommodations in urban and suburban markets, with nearly a decade of experience integrating innovative hospitality solutions and trusted service.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260115804669/en/
The launch of Apartment Collection by Hilton allows the company to build on its existing global inventory of approximately 10,000 apartment-style units, adding as many as 3,000 new units through its partnership with Placemakr. Hilton expects to significantly grow its apartment-style inventory over the next few years through this new partnership and through additional franchise agreements with new owners in the multi-family segment.
Designed to provide flexibility for guests to stay their way, Apartment Collection by Hilton offers studio to four-bedroom furnished apartments for a variety of stay occasions — from a family getaway or friends’ reunion to an extended work trip where business travelers need comfort and consistency. Featuring chef-ready kitchens, spacious separate living areas, and on-site laundry, each distinct property is located in the heart of sought-after destinations – offering guests easy access to both must-go-to destinations and unique, under-the-radar gems. Each stay delivers an elevated experience that captures the local character of its surroundings, with the convenience and smart amenities of apartment-style living. Guests will be thoughtfully hosted, with dedicated team members available on-site 24/7 to provide support and ensure guests feel cared for.
To bring this vision to life, Hilton is launching this brand in partnership with Placemakr—a leading brand and management company in the furnished and unfurnished apartment sectors. Placemakr’s proven operational model brings deep multi-family expertise to launch Hilton’s growth in this expanding segment. Placemakr has leveraged organic growth and asset-light management agreements with its business model and is centered on partnering with multi-family building owners to convert either an entire building or a subset of units in an apartment building into furnished short-term rentals. Through the partnership with Placemakr, as well as with relationships with multi-family owners, Hilton expects to see strong growth for the brand, given the popularity of the apartment-style hospitality market.
“Apartment Collection by Hilton represents the next chapter in Hilton’s growth story and the ways we are evolving to meet growing guest demand for this dynamic segment of hospitality,” said Chris Nassetta, president and CEO, Hilton. “With this new brand, we are continuing to pioneer the future of the hospitality industry, giving guests even more ways to choose Hilton for every stay, backed by our service and reliability.”
Powered by Hilton’s trusted brand standards, Apartment Collection by Hilton will maintain consistent quality across every property, with every stay integrated into Hilton’s booking and loyalty systems, ensuring reliability and peace of mind for guests and owners alike. In the first half of 2026, travelers will be able to book stays via Hilton.com at Apartment Collection by Hilton in destinations including New York City, Washington, D.C. and Atlanta.
“After an extensive search, Hilton is proud to partner with Placemakr to introduce Hilton’s new lodging category,” said Chris Silcock, president, global brands and commercial services, Hilton. “We’ve long seen the opportunity to deliver hospitality-driven apartment stays, offering spacious accommodations, thoughtful amenities, and authentic connections to local neighborhoods, and Placemakr shares that vision. For nearly a decade, they’ve demonstrated a strong commitment to guests through high product standards and exceptional service.”
Each Apartment Collection by Hilton property will be thoughtfully designed to support guests’ routines and provide flexible spaces for real life. Guests will also enjoy access to fitness centers and select properties may also feature rooftop pools and terraces, communal gathering and workspaces, and on-site dining and retail.
“Placemakr is proud to bring our deep expertise in the furnished apartment space to this innovative new brand with Hilton,” said Bao Vuong, co-founder and president, Placemakr. “We’re thrilled for Hilton guests and Hilton Honors members to experience what we’ve built over the past decade. We’ve pioneered the furnished apartments asset class property by property, stay by stay, and to continue that work alongside the world’s most valuable hotel brand is so exciting.”
“We’re also excited for what this means for our real estate partners,” added Jason Fudin, co-founder and CEO, Placemakr. “Hilton’s industry-leading commercial engine and scale will help create even more value for our partners while accelerating our mission to maximize the value of real estate through flexibility. This marks a new chapter in flexible real estate, and we couldn’t be more excited.”
Apartment Collection by Hilton will participate in Hilton Honors, the award-winning guest loyalty program with more than 235 million members for Hilton’s portfolio of world-class brands. Members will be able to book, earn and redeem Hilton Honors Points for stays through Hilton’s direct channels and have access to instant benefits, including exclusive member discounts and free standard Wi-Fi.
PJT Partners and Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC were the strategic financial advisors on this partnership for Hilton and Placemakr, respectively.
For more information, visit Stories From Hilton.
About Hilton
Hilton (NYSE: HLT) is a leading global hospitality company with a portfolio of 26 world-class brands comprising 9,000 properties and over 1.3 million rooms, in 141 countries and territories. Dedicated to fulfilling its founding vision to fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality, Hilton has welcomed over 3 billion guests in its more than 100-year history, was named the No. 1 World’s Best Workplace by Great Place to Work and Fortune and has been recognized as a global leader on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices. Hilton has introduced industry-leading technology enhancements to improve the guest experience, including Digital Key Share, automated complimentary room upgrades and the ability to book confirmed connecting rooms. Through the award-winning guest loyalty program Hilton Honors, the more than 235 million Hilton Honors members who book directly with Hilton can earn Points for hotel stays and experiences money can't buy. With the free Hilton Honors app, guests can book their stay, select their room, check in, unlock their door with a Digital Key and check out, all from their smartphone. Visit stories.hilton.com for more information, and connect with Hilton on Facebook,X, LinkedIn,Instagram and YouTube.
About Placemakr
Placemakr is a hospitality brand and management company focused on the furnished apartment space. The company transforms multifamily properties into a unique blend of apartment living and hospitality and has been the pioneer of the flexible living asset class. Placemakr's innovative tech-enabled platform provides an unmatched experience for its guests and residents, combining the advantages of apartment living with the services and reliability of a hotel, all within a single building. Placemakr's thoughtfully curated spaces in carefully selected neighborhoods offer guests and residents the flexibility to stay for a night, a year, or any duration in between.
Hilton Introduces Apartment Collection by Hilton: Furnished Apartment Accommodations, Hosted by Hilton
