Tsong Tsung Blue and Orange

[Edgy MD]

Please welcome Tsung-Che Cheng, the lefty-hitting Taiwan-born shortstop claimed off of waivers from Tampa Bay.

Cheng is a slick-ish fielder with modest pop in his bat for a dude on the small side. He has had a solid minor-league career, with a good-ish power-speed combination that promises to make you forget Chin-lung Hu (unless the Mets lose him on waivers before spring training, which is a very real possibility).

[FIMG=600]https://cdn.mlbtraderumors.com/files/2026/01/tsung-che-cheng-1024x683.jpg[/FIMG]

[Lefty Specialist]

Best comment I've seen on this is 'Name sounds like somebody threw silverware down a flight of stairs.'

[Edgy MD]

Ouch.

[Cowtipper]

That's an old racist joke, "how does a Chinese person name their child?" and what you said is the punchline.

[whippoorwill]

Love the thread title

[Centerfield]

That's an old racist joke, "how does a Chinese person name their child?" and what you said is the punchline.

 

Can confirm.

[Edgy MD]

Yes, I apologize if I opened the door to that.

[Lefty Specialist]

Wow, I had no idea. Consider me chastised.

[Frayed Knot]

Yeah, I remember that joke from childhood, only it was a thrown tin can into the street.

[Cowtipper]

Looks like Tsung-Che is already seeing a Cheng of scenery as he was claimed off waivers by the Nationals.

[Edgy MD]

Transactions, 1/28/2026

[table][tr][td90]GOING[/td90][/tr]
[tr][td90]Claimed off Waivers by WAS[/td90][/tr]
[tr][/tr]
[tr][td90][fimg=90]https://img.mlbstatic.com/mlb-photos/image/upload/d_people:generic:headshot:67:current.png/w_426,q_auto:best/v1/people/691907/headshot/67/current[/fimg][/td90][/tr]
[tr][td90]Tsung-Che

Cheng

[fimg=50]https://metsrostercentral.files.wordpress.com/2022/03/flag-of-taiwan.png[/fimg][/td90][/tr]
[tr][td90]2001-07-26[/td90][/tr]
[tr][td90]L/R[/td90][/tr]
[tr][td90] MLB (2025)[/td90][/tr][/table]

[th]Direction[/th]
[th]Transaction [/th]
[th]Position Group [/th]	[th] Infielders[/th]
[th][/th]
[th]Name [/th]
[th]DoB[/th]
[th]B/T[/th]
[th]High Level[/th]

 

Sadly, people who get claimed off waivers ... tend to get claimed off waivers. And an offseason like this for the likes of Tsung-Che Cheng can be pretty jarring.

For Grae Kessinger, well, it only took him one cold January hour in the Mets system to move up a notch on the depth chart.

As for the next destiny of Dicky Lovelady, we will perhaps have to wait until tomorrow.