📢 TOP STORY: “I’ll never forget it” hits differently when it’s about Manny Machado—now a Mets rising star is explaining why that strikeout mattered so much ⚡.NL

“I remember I threw a pitch to (Manny) Machado, I threw him like a changeup or a curveball like down (in) the zone,” Tong said (Timestamp: 1:32). “He roped it off the wall and (Brandon) Nimmo threw him out at second. I was just like, ‘That’s a Hall of Famer, that’s a first-ballot Hall of Famer.’ Oh my goodness, I used to play with him on MLB: The Show. These are like ‘Oh my gosh’ moments, I’m pitching against these guys, this isn’t a dream.

“I made an adjustment on the second at-bat. I think I threw him a high heater that was just above his shoulders. I think I set it up where I threw him a curveball, he swung over, and then just tried to tunnel something up. In the moment, I was like, ‘Okay, (focus on) the next at-bat.’ After sitting and being able to rewatch it, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh.’ Big smile on my face, that one was probably the most memorable one. Not because of the situation, it’s just like this is Manny Machado.”

“He’s got everything you need to be great” – Mets legend has his say on Jonah Tong’s potential

“I’ve seen [Jonah] Tong a few times,” Ron Darling said [32:02]. “Tong is this generation’s Tim Lincecum. A small-ish guy, with a whirlwind kind of wind-up and delivery, very difficult for the hitters to pick up. He’s got everything you need, to be great.”