The New York Mets have promoted their No. 4 prospect, Jonah Tong. In his debut, the 22-year-old right-hander gave up just one run over five innings while striking out six.
What caught the attention of San Francisco Giants fans, however, was how much his delivery mirrored that of former Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum—an approach Tong has intentionally modeled his game after.
SF Giants could trade for Tim Lincecum-clone this offseason
With Tong’s delivery resembling Tim Lincecum’s, Giants fans have started paying attention. Could Buster Posey and the front office take notice too? Posey caught Lincecum from 2009–2015, and the similarities might tempt him to push for a trade.
On the other hand, Lincecum’s career decline is a cautionary tale. His arm gave out by age 28, far earlier than most pitchers. That risk might steer the Giants away from Tong, wary of investing in someone whose mechanics echo Lincecum’s.
Still, the possibility is intriguing. Here’s one trade concept:
San Francisco could offer Carson Whisenhunt, one of their better pitching prospects, to the Mets in exchange for Tong. Both are 24 and in their rookie seasons, but the Mets might prefer adding a controllable lefty to balance their veteran rotation.
Whisenhunt alone wouldn’t be enough. The Giants might also include Marco Luciano, once viewed as their shortstop of the future but now without a clear role. With the Mets lacking stability at third base—Brett Baty and Luisangel Acuña haven’t secured the job—Luciano could be a fit.
To sweeten the deal, the Giants could add Bo Davidson, a Double-A outfielder ranked No. 5 in their system.
Davidson owns an .864 OPS across two levels this year, showing a mix of power and speed that might appeal to New York. While San Francisco would likely need to throw in one more significant piece, Whisenhunt and Davidson could be enough to spark discussions.
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