'Three pitchers from KBO' Taiwan Toong, Balazovic-Dixson-Penya 'Trio' is about to be completed → The challenge to win is in full swing

*This content was translated by AI.

The Tuong Lions, who failed to reach the Taiwan Series in the 2025 season and only won in the first half, reorganized the mound as a foreign player from the KBO League and aim for an integrated victory in the 2026 season. It will recruit Jordan Balazovic (28), who played for the Doosan Bears in the 2024 season, and fill as many as three foreign pitchers with KBO league experience.

According to a report by Taiwanese media TNSA on the 11th, Tung has completed the recruitment process for Balazovic. The registered name is 'Jordan', not 'Balajovic'. It is said to use a friendly name reminiscent of the name of legendary basketball star Michael Jordan as its registration name.

Balazovic joined as an alternative foreign player due to the injury of Raul Alcantara (34, current Kiwoom Heroes) in the 2024 season and recorded a record of 2-6 with a 4.26 ERA in 12 games in Dusanseo. Balazovic, who signed a minor contract with the Detroit Tigers ahead of the 2025 season, pitched mainly in the minor leagues. He recorded a not bad record of 5 wins, 1 loss, 2 holds, 1 save, and a 3.69 ERA in 34 Triple-A games (7 starts). Eventually, it was on Toong's radar, and Balazovic was back on the Asian stage.

With this, Tung has already confirmed three foreign pitchers to play in the 2026 season. Jackson Stevens (32) and Brock Dyckson, who played for the SK Wyverns (the predecessor of SSG Landers), were re-signed side by side and even recruited Balazovic. Now the next target of negotiations is Felix Peña (36), who played for the Hanwha Eagles from the 2022 to 2024 season. Peña was classified as a subject to renew his contract with a 10-3 record and 1.91 ERA in 21 games in the 2025 season. If Peña completes the contract, three out of four foreign pitchers will be experienced on the Korean stage.

According to TSNA, Peña and Tung continue to negotiate for the 2026 season. The Tung club strongly wants Peña to stay, but Peña is not easily stamping it. First of all, Peña is the top goal, but it does not rule out the possibility of a breakdown in negotiations.

Tung won the championship in the first half of the 2025 season, but failed to advance to the Taiwan Series after falling behind the Rakuten Monkeys by 2-3 in the first stage of the postseason. Now, with three pitchers from the KBO League, he will try to regain the top of the Taiwan Series for the first time in six seasons since the 2020 season.

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*This content was translated by AI.