The Chinese Professional Baseball League season is in full swing, and the big story so far has been the performance of the CTBC Brothers. Winners of three of the past five CPBL titles and either champions or runners-up in 11 of the past 16 years, the Brothers have had a disastrous start. They are 7-16-1, the only team in the league with fewer than 10 wins. They have struggled particularly at home, going 2-8-1. Every other CPBL team has at least six home wins.
The Brothers have struggled across the board. Offensively, they are scoring 3.21 runs per game, second fewest in the league. They have the fewest stolen bases (five) and the second-lowest slugging percentage. Despite having one of the CPBL’s top pitchers in Mario Sánchez, the Brothers have the league’s worst ERA, with a bullpen that ranks at or near the bottom in most categories. With issues at the plate and on the mound, the Brothers have dug themselves into a significant hole and sit in last place.
Despite the team’s struggles, Sánchez has been a bright spot. He leads the league with a 1.06 ERA in 34 innings and has issued just two walks all season. The Brothers also received a boost with the return of left-hander José De Paula. The CPBL veteran returned after an injury sidelined him last June, after which the team released him. He made his 2026 debut Sunday against the TSG Hawks, allowing one run over six innings. With the recent signing of former MLB pitcher Félix Peña, the Brothers could soon have one of the league’s top rotations. Still, the offense must improve for the team to reach its potential.
After an underwhelming 2025 season, Chieh-Hsien Chen of the Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions has returned to form to begin 2026. The center fielder, who captained Chinese Taipei in the World Baseball Classic, is hitting .318/.483/.500 with one home run. He has drawn seven walks and struck out three times in 29 plate appearances after recovering from an injury sustained during the tournament. He ranks fourth in OPS and second in on-base percentage.
His national teammate Yu Chang will be one of his biggest challengers for MVP among position players. Limited to 65 games last season due to injuries, Chang has returned healthy and is producing at a high level. He is hitting .343/.413/.571 with four home runs and 11 RBIs. His four home runs are tied for second in the CPBL, and his .984 OPS ranks third.
In contrast to the Brothers’ struggles, the Wei Chuan Dragons have been one of the season’s biggest surprises. After back-to-back seasons without a playoff appearance and the departure of their top pitcher to Nippon Professional Baseball, the Dragons sit atop the standings at 16-8. They rank second in runs scored (4.21 per game), team OPS and home runs. They lead the league in stolen bases, going 34 for 36.
A key contributor has been outfielder Shun-Ho Wang. The 24-year-old is hitting .377/.424/.574 with five RBIs and leads the league in batting average, OPS and triples (five). After fielding one of the league’s weakest offenses in 2025, the Dragons have turned things around in large part due to Wang’s production.
On the mound, the Dragons have been the league’s best staff and a major reason for their success. Marcelo Martínez, who helped lead the Rakuten Monkeys to a title last year, signed with the Dragons in the offseason and has delivered. In three starts, the left-hander has a 0.00 ERA with 17 strikeouts in 17 1/3 innings.
With former MLB pitchers John Gant and Drew Gagnon in the rotation, the Dragons are well-positioned to contend all season. The first-half winner clinches a postseason berth, and the Dragons currently hold a 2.5-game lead.
Standings
Wei Chuan Dragons — 16-8
TSG Hawks — 14-11-1
Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions — 13-11-1
Fubon Guardians — 11-12
Rakuten Monkeys — 10-13-1
CTBC Brothers — 7-16-1
