Taiwan Baseball (CPBL): News, Notes, and Where to Watch

As the second half of the 2024 Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) season progresses, here is a look at the top news and notes from the last week in Taiwan’s highest level of professional baseball.  

CTBC Brothers Sign Dominican RHP  

The CTBC Brothers made a critical addition to their pitching staff on Tuesday, signing Dominican right-handed pitcher Angel Sanchez, CPBL Stats on X reported. Sanchez has previous pitching experience in multiple Asian professional leagues, including the KBO and NPB.   

Sanchez began 2024 with the Pericos de Puebla of Liga Mexicana de Beisbol, and his contract was purchased by the Tampa Bay Rays in May. In six games and five starts with Triple-A Durham, he went 4-2 with a 2.36 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 26.2 innings.  

He appeared in eight games for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2017 but struggled, giving up 12 earned runs and 16 hits in 12.1 innings out of the bullpen. Sanchez should slot into the Brother’s rotation immediately, a team with championship aspirations.  

Fungo Competition at All-Star Week  

The CPBL announced a fungo competition between four CPBL coaches will occur during All-Star Week. The four coaches participating are Tseng Hao-chu, manager of the Rakuten Monkeys, and this November’s WBSC Premier12 for Taiwan, Hirano Keiichi of the CTBC Brothers, former MLB pitcher and pitching coach for the CTBC Brothers Chien-Ming Wang, and TSG Hawks manager Hong I-chung.  

Each coach will attempt to hit their balls into five different zones. Any ball in the infield is worth 20 points; a ball hit to the corner outfield positions is worth 60 points; a ball hit to shallow center field is worth 40 points; a ball near the fence in the outfield is worth 100 points, and a home run is worth 300 points.  

For those unaware, a fungo bat is designed to hit practice ground balls and fly balls to players during practice. They are lighter in weight and longer in length than a game-used bat. Each coach will attempt to showcase their skills with the stick and earn the title of the best fungo-hitting coach in the CPBL.  

Yu Chang Signs Largest Contract in CPBL History  

Yu Chang, selected first overall in the 2024 mid-season CPBL Draft by the Fubon Guardians, signed a 3.5-year contract worth $3.08 million with the club last week, the most significant contract in CBPL history.   

Chang was introduced to the Fubon media during a press conference last week and debuted with the team on Friday. To commemorate his debut, fans who attended the game against the Uni-Lions received a certificate of attendance with Chang’s picture on the front. The Uni-Lions won the game 13-1, and Chang collected a double in the ninth inning for his first CPBL hit.   

The former MLB utility man hit his first home run of his CPBL career on Tuesday, a deep blast to left field in the bottom of the fourth inning to lead the Guardians to a 9-3 win over the Brothers.   

This Day in Taiwanese Baseball History  

On July 17, 2017, Taiwanese outfielder Tzu-Wei Lin was optioned to Triple-A Pawtucket, the former Triple-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. He would see action with Boston again in September 2017.   

Lin plays in the CPBL for the Rakuten Monkeys. He signed his first MLB contract with the New York Yankees in 2010 when he was 16. He made his MLB debut with the Red Sox on June 24, 2017.  

Internationally, Lin represented Taiwan in the 2019 Asian Baseball Championship and 2023 World Baseball Classic as a member of Chinese Taipei.   

CPBL Standings as of Wednesday, July 17  

1. CTBC Brothers (6-0-4) 
2. Rakuten Monkeys (5-0-4) 
3. Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions (5-0-5) 
4. Fubon Guardians (5-0-5) 
5. Wei Chuan Dragons (4-0-5) 
6. TSG Hawks (4-0-6) 

You can watch every CPBL game on DAZN.  

Photo Credit: Yu Chang #20 of the Boston Red Sox celebrates a home run in the seventh inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Fenway Park on August 04, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Gaelen Morse/Getty Images)