'Why did you lose?' Must stay tense to avoid hearings! Taiwan baseball already mobilized, heading to Japan for training: "Many overseas players expected to join"

*This content was translated by AI.

The Taiwan national baseball team, considered the 'greatest rival' of South Korea's squad for the upcoming September 2026 Nagoya-Aichi Asian Games (AG), has begun rapid preparations. Already targeting gold medals, they have conducted power analysis against the South Korean team and mobilized eligible players to depart for Japan.

According to multiple Taiwanese media outlets including TSNA and SETN, Taiwan's national baseball team departed for Japan on the 1st and is currently conducting a training camp in Kobe and Nagoya, playing eight exhibition matches against local amateur teams. The Taiwan Baseball Association announced the AG roster last July, composed of both overseas players and domestic athletes. However, players still engaged in the current Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) schedule appear not to have joined the Japan trip.

Reports indicate that on the 3rd, the first day of training, Taiwan defeated a Japanese amateur league all-star team 8-1 for a strong opening victory. Rookie pitcher Huang Zhihan, set to join the CTBC Brothers, delivered an impressive performance as starter: five innings, two hits allowed, three strikeouts, and one run scored. From the sixth inning onward, relief pitchers maintained scoreless pitching.

However, in their second match against Mitsubishi Heavy Industries on the 4th, Taiwan's offense went silent, resulting in a 1-3 loss. Despite hitting seven total hits, they managed only one run, bringing their Japan training record to one win and one loss.

Notably, some overseas players have unexpectedly joined this training camp to sharpen their game readiness. Right-handed pitcher Liu Zulong (27), who was released by the Boston Red Sox in June and is seeking another overseas opportunity, also appeared as a reliever on the 3rd, pitching one inning with two strikeouts and no runs allowed while throwing pitches reaching top speed of 148 km/h. He is known to Korean baseball fans as a close friend of Kang Baek-ho (27, Hanwha Eagles).

Examining Taiwan's roster reveals an impressive lineup of overseas players. Left-handed pitcher Wang Yencheng, who plays for Hanwha, joins infielder Zheng Zhongzhe from the Boston Red Sox in MLB; SoftBank Hawks pitchers Xu Leshi and Nippon-Ham Fighters pitchers Gu Linlu Yang and Sun Yilei; plus pitchers Lin Weimin (Arizona Diamondbacks) and Zhang Tianzhongao (Athletics), all of whom have historically performed well against South Korea in international tournaments.

Xu Leshi, however, is likely unable to join the team due to a recent back injury. Nevertheless, players like Zheng Zhongzhe, Lin Weimin, and Zhang Tianzhongao remain on their respective MLB 26-man rosters but are not currently active, leaving open the possibility of their participation in the Asian Games.

The Taiwan baseball community is betting everything on winning gold at this Asian Games. The Chinese Taipei Baseball Association (CTBA) completed its 14th organizational restructuring on the 2nd, electing Zhou Lingyun, Vice President of CTBC Trust Sports, as the association's first female Lee (President). Newly appointed Lee (President) Zhou immediately declared after taking office: "We will lead the organization and prepare for international competitions including the Asian Games," launching full-scale preparations for the tournament.

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*This content was translated by AI.