Kang Baek-ho's close friend from Taiwan, who bounced around the minor leagues, is finally released — but like Ko Woo-seok, he vows to keep challenging in MLB.

*This content was translated by AI.

Liu Zhi-long (27), a right-handed pitcher from Taiwan well known to domestic baseball fans as "Kang Baek-ho's close friend," has finally received release notification from the Boston Red Sox. After more than six years of persistent effort since 2019, he has tasted defeat. Yet, unlike Ko Woo-seok (28), Liu has firmly declared his intention to remain in the United States and continue his Major League Baseball (MLB) challenge rather than return to Taiwan.

On the 12th (Korean time), Liu Zhi-long announced his release via his social networking service (SNS), expressing gratitude to the Boston organization: "I am thankful to the Boston club. I was able to fulfill my childhood dream of playing baseball in the United States."

He added, "Over the past six and a half years, I learned a great deal and received more care than I deserved. Especially during the last three years, I endured difficult times due to recurring injuries, but the club always supported me. I am grateful to the coaching staff, teammates, and fans who showed me I was never alone." Bowing his head, he further stated, "I hold the belief that 'there is no place to rest on my laurels,' and I will continue to strive and challenge myself in the future."

Liu Zhi-long was a top prospect from his amateur days, renowned for throwing a fastball approaching 158 km/h, which earned him immense expectations in Taiwan's baseball community. He was particularly celebrated as a two-way player who excelled in both pitching and hitting.

To Korean baseball fans, Liu Zhi-long is also deeply recognized as the close friend of Kang Baek-ho (27, Hanwha Eagles), who is the same age. The two have cultivated a friendship that transcended borders since their days on the youth national team. Their emotional support for each other during the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou drew widespread attention.

The peak of Liu Zhi-long's career came at the 2019 Asian Baseball Championship. As the ace and key hitter for the Taiwan national team, he led his squad to victory and was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player (MVP). Leveraging this performance, he signed with the Boston Red Sox in October 2019, officially embarking on his Major League challenge. His signing bonus was $750,000.

However, his minor league journey was not smooth. While his potential was undeniable, chronic injuries began to hinder him starting from the 2025 season. Frequent injuries led to repeated stints on the injured list (IL), raising concerns about his durability. Ultimately, the Boston organization decided to terminate their more-than-six-year partnership, effective June 11, 2026, which began on October 22, 2019. Liu has no minor league appearance records for either the 2025 or 2026 seasons.

Despite the pain of being released, Liu Zhi-long's focus remains on the United States. According to multiple Taiwanese media outlets, Liu's side stated, "At this time, there are no plans whatsoever to return to the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL)." They further clarified, "We will continue to stay in the United States, seek new opportunities, and persist in our challenges."

This move echoes the path of Ko Woo-seok, who continues to challenge in a Detroit minor league affiliate. Despite having a solid foundation that would allow him to be treated as a key pitcher if he returned to the Asian stage, Liu has chosen to tread a difficult path in pursuit of his ultimate dream as a baseball player: stepping onto the "MLB mound" at least once.

Although his chapter with Boston has come to an end, it remains uncertain whether Liu Zhi-long, still in his late twenties with an attractive pitching arsenal, can overcome his "history of injuries" and establish a new home in the United States.

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*This content was translated by AI.