'How could this be?' Only two Hanwha players were initially selected for the AG, but a third departure is now under internal discussion.

*This content was translated by AI.

Only two players from the Hanwha Eagles have been selected for the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games (AG) representative team: core infielder Noh Si-hwan and key outfielder Moon Hyun-bin. However, a third player is now increasingly likely to head to the Asian Games stage. That player is Taiwanese Asian quota pitcher Wang Yencheng.

A Hanwha official stated on the 11th, "We received an official request from the Chinese Taipei Baseball Association asking for permission to loan Wang Yencheng to the Chinese Taipei national team for the 2026 Asian Games."

The official continued, "Regarding Wang Yencheng's decision to join the Chinese Taipei team, we will first observe whether the Chinese Taipei national team announces its roster, hold an internal meeting, and then make a final decision."

Kim Kyung-moon, the manager of Hanwha, opened all possibilities regarding Wang Yencheng's potential departure ahead of the home game against the KIA Tigers at the Hanwha Life Eagles Park in Daejeon on the 11th, stating, "We will discuss this internally with the club."

As the KBO League introduced the Asian quota system for the first time this year, Wang Yencheng has delivered the best performance among all quota pitchers.

He has appeared in 13 games this season, recording 5 wins, 3 losses, and an ERA of 3.49. Over 67 innings, he allowed 70 hits (5 home runs), issued 28 walks, recorded 57 strikeouts, and gave up 36 runs (26 earned runs). His WHIP stands at 1.46, and his batting average against is 0.266. He has achieved four quality starts (six innings pitched with three or fewer earned runs).

Taiwan is also considered one of the toughest opponents at the Asian Games. While Japan fields a team of amateur players, Taiwan will field a squad primarily composed of players from its domestic professional league. If Wang Yencheng is ultimately selected for the Chinese Taipei national team, he would be among the Taiwanese pitchers who currently have the best understanding of Korean baseball.

Especially, Taiwan plans to build its strongest possible team for this Asian Games by calling up numerous promising players from the U.S. minor leagues and overseas-based players, aiming to win its first gold medal since the 2006 Doha Games, 20 years later. Taiwan has already defeated Korea in the 2024 WBSC Premier 12 and the World Baseball Classic (WBC) held in March. Taiwan is expected to announce its final roster by the end of this month.

While Taiwan is a formidable opponent, the decision to loan Wang Yencheng is expected to be a significant variable for Hanwha, which is engaged in a fierce standings race in the final stretch of the regular season. The baseball tournament at this Asian Games will be held from September 21 to 27. This is the period when the team must play its remaining regular-season games, and depending on the situation, every single game could prove extremely important.

Of course, Hanwha is not the only team whose roster will be weakened. Other teams also have key players called up for the Asian Games representative team.

Manager Ryu Ji-hyun also stated at the roster announcement press conference, "The mid-September period when the Asian Games are held is a sensitive time for the regular-season standings race. This season, in particular, we expect an unprecedented battle for the standings. We considered these factors, spent a long time thinking, and held careful meetings. It was important to build a consensus with baseball fans on this point. We also aimed to maintain balance among the 10th clubs, ensuring no specific team suffered a disadvantage, and made a difficult decision."

Hanwha has only two players, Noh Si-hwan and Moon Hyun-bin, wearing the Taegeuk mark. If Wang Yencheng joins the Chinese Taipei national team, attention will focus on how Hanwha's Noh Si-hwan and Moon Hyun-bin will fare against him.

When asked about facing Wang Yencheng, Noh Si-hwan said, "I will definitely not hold back," and added, "It won't be easy." He continued, "I hope Wang Yencheng is also well-prepared. (Laughs) It will be really fun. However, the world of competition is cold. Myself and (Moon) Hyun-bin will bite down and hit hard," expressing his determination. Moon Hyun-bin also stated, "I won't be conscious of Wang Yencheng specifically. We must win unconditionally. If he takes the mound, we will ensure the result is at least a walk or a hit," also showing his firm resolve.

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*This content was translated by AI.