The Miami Marlins wrap up the Labor Day holiday weekend with a 1:10 PM ET matinee at loanDepot park on Monday, September 7, 2026, facing the New York Mets in what shapes up as a compelling pitching matchup. Eury Pérez gets the ball for Miami against Mets right-hander Jonah Tong. With September depth and positioning on the line for both clubs, this afternoon game carries real weight. Catch it on Marlins.TV presented by Werner, Hoffman, Greig & Garcia, or tune in on 560AM WQAM locally.
Probable Starters: Eury Pérez vs. Jonah Tong
The spotlight falls squarely on Eury Pérez, the young Miami right-hander who remains one of the most compelling arms in the organization. Pérez has the raw stuff to dominate on any given afternoon — a mid-to-upper-90s fastball paired with a breaking ball that has generated plenty of swings and misses. When he is locked in, hitters have no comfortable at-bat against him. A strong outing here, at home in front of a holiday crowd, would be a significant statement in the final stretch of the regular season.
On the other side, the Mets send Jonah Tong to the mound. Tong is a name worth watching as New York continues to cycle through its pitching depth in September. He is an arm to take seriously, and Miami's lineup cannot afford to sleepwalk through early innings against an unfamiliar pitcher. The Marlins have shown the ability to work counts and put pressure on starters — that approach needs to be front and center against Tong.
Keys to Watch for the Miami Marlins
- Pérez's command: When Eury Pérez throws strikes and attacks hitters early in counts, he is extremely difficult to square up. The Marlins need him to go deep into this game and keep New York's lineup off-balance from the first inning.
- Early-count aggression against Tong: Facing a pitcher with a smaller major-league sample means Miami's hitters should look to do damage early. Making Tong work and getting into the Mets bullpen before the middle innings is a priority.
- Bullpen management: A Labor Day afternoon game with a 1:10 first pitch puts everything on a tight clock. If Pérez can give the Marlins six solid innings, the back end of the bullpen stays fresh and the game stays manageable.
- Home-field energy: loanDepot park on a holiday afternoon can generate real buzz. Miami plays better when the crowd is engaged, and a September Monday matinee with the Mets in town should draw a charged atmosphere.
Prediction
This one comes down to Pérez. If he is on — and there is every reason to think he can be — the Marlins have the pitching advantage in this matchup. Miami takes this afternoon game at loanDepot park, with Pérez delivering a quality start and the offense doing just enough against Tong in the middle innings. Marlins 4, Mets 2.
