The Chinese Professional Baseball League’s Fubon Guardians held a press conference on Monday to announce the retirement of 36-year-old outfielder Lin Che-hsuan, who is playing in his 11th and final season in the CPBL.
Lin became the eighth Taiwanese-born player to debut in Major League Baseball in 2012 with the Boston Red Sox. His MLB career lasted just nine games, but he collected three hits in 12 plate appearances.
As one of Boston’s top prospects, Lin went 2-for-2 with a two-run home run for the World Team at the 2008 All-Star Futures Game at in the final season of the renovated original Yankee Stadium. Lin’s homer in the seventh inning helped his squad defeat the United States Team 3-0, and he was named the game’s Most Valuable Player.
The EDA Rhinos selected Lin first overall in the CPBL’s 2015 mid-season draft, the franchise’s second-to-last year in Kaohsiung before relocating to New Taipei and becoming the Guardians. The right-handed hitter batted .345 with 22 homers in 107 games and was named Taiwan Series MVP as the Rhinos defeated the Chinatrust Brothers in six games.
During a game against the Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions in October 2020, Lin faked out everyone, including the contest’s broadcasters, when he robbed a home run and pretended he didn’t make the grab. Pan Yen-ting, the Lions’ first baseman who hit the ball, ran all the way to home plate before realizing the ball did not go over the fence.
https://x.com/CPBL/status/1317081633418211329
Injuries limited Lin to 55 games in 2024, and he’s appeared in just eight this season. His slick defensive work helped him keep a role on the Guardians as his productivity with the bat declined.
In international competition, Lin played for Chinese Taipei in the 2009, 2013, and 2017 editions of the World Baseball Classic.
Photo: Lin Che-Hsuan greets a teammate at the dugout after hitting a second inning two run home run in Chinese Taipei’s game against Canada at the Beijing 2008 Olympics in Beijing, Wednesday, Aug.20, 2008. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
