This can't be! 'Former Hanwha lucky charm' Liberato faces disgrace as potential 'worst foreign investor batter' in Taiwan history → 66 consecutive at-bats without a home run humiliation

*This content was translated by AI.

Entering the KBO League as a replacement foreign player for Esteban Florial (29) in the 2025 season, Luis Liberato (31, Funland Guardians), who was hailed as a 'lucky charm' with the Hanwha Eagles, now faces the risk of becoming the worst foreign batter in CPBL history. Despite playing in 18 games, he has yet to hit a home run, which is what is expected of foreign batters.

Operating under the registered name 'Fang Li-duo' in Taiwan, Liberato has recorded 66 at-bats in 18 games since the CPBL season opener as of the 2nd, with his home run count still at '0'. In his last three games, he went hitless in 8 at-bats, causing his season batting average to plummet to 0.242 (16 hits in 66 at-bats). His OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) stands at 0.584, a level that is hard to believe for a foreign batter, leading to harsh criticism locally that he has essentially lost his offensive power. The Taiwan newspaper Liberty Times also criticized him, stating, "He doesn't even meet the average of Taiwanese batters, let alone the standard expected of foreign batters."

As Liberato's slump deepens, the brutal history of foreign batters in CPBL is being revisited. If Liberato fails to hit a home run within the next 32 at-bats, he will break the disgraceful record set by Brian Goodwin (then with Wei-Chuan Dragons) in the 2022 season: 'most at-bats without a home run by a foreign investor (98 at-bats).' It is reported that Goodwin was ultimately released due to his lack of home runs.

Even if he miraculously hits a home run, he is approaching the record set by Guillermo Mercedes (registered name 'Feng-tzu', 52, then with Xingdi Elephants) in the 1999 season for 'longest at-bats to first home run (207 at-bats),' indicating that Funland's patience is wearing thin. In the 1999 CPBL season, Mercedes played 81 games, batting 0.278 (92 hits in 331 at-bats) with 2 home runs and 30 RBIs. His position at the time was shortstop.

Liberty Times reported, "Liberato showed an impressive performance last season in the KBO League with a batting average of 0.313 and 10 home runs. Nevertheless, the Funland Guardians coaching staff expressed that they hoped he would focus more on outfield defense, batting average, and on-base percentage rather than expecting him to hit home runs. They asked him to refrain from excessive expectations regarding home runs."

However, the Funland team actually sent Liberato in as a pinch hitter in a game on April 29, and then completely sat him out in the game against Wei-Chuan Dragons on the 1st. As of the 2nd, Funland holds a record of 10 wins and 11 losses (winning percentage 0.476), placing them in a four-way tie for 4th among the six teams. The only team with a lower winning percentage than Funland is the last-place CTBC Brothers (7 wins, 1 tie, 14 losses, winning percentage 0.333).

A foreign investor batter brought in to provide extra power is struggling not only to hit home runs but even to produce hits, placing Liberato at risk of being branded the 'worst foreign investor' in terms of offensive production in the history of the Taiwan league. Following his complete absence from the first game of the three-game series against Wei-Chuan on the 1st, predictions suggest his fate will be decided soon.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.