'Will Korean Baseball Get a Boost?' Kang Baek-ho's Friend, 'Left-Side Lion' Nansu High School Classmate Joins 'Kang Baek-ho Friend' Rumors → Taiwan AG Final Roster Announced Today (7th)

*This content was translated by AI.

The final roster of Taiwan's national baseball team, which will compete for the gold medal with South Korea in the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, is undergoing significant changes.

According to recent reports by Taiwanese media ET Today, amid a string of injuries among key players and departures due to Major League Baseball roster issues, questions have surfaced regarding whether ace pitchers who once haunted the Korean lineup will remain, along with rumors of an emergency joining by "top-tier replacement resources." The Chinese Taipei Baseball Association (CTBA) is concluding its final selection training committee meeting today (7th) and will officially announce the confirmed roster.

As known, the loss of key personnel for Taiwan's national team is inevitable. According to CTBA Secretary-General Lin Zongqing, core infielder Zheng Zhongze (Triple-A affiliate of Boston Red Sox), who is on the verge of entering the majors, is expected to be excluded from the final roster. Additionally, Shu Luoshi (SoftBank Hawks) of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) has been ruled out due to injury, and Sun Yilei, active in Nippon Ham's first division, will effectively be unable to participate due to the principle of protecting first-division players. Even Zhang Chenzhongao (26, Athletics minor league), who plays in the U.S. minor leagues, was placed on the injured list (IL) on the 7th, making his participation uncertain.

However, the reason South Korea's national team cannot relax its guard lies in the stability of the "core pillars" on the mound. Top-tier left-handed pitcher Lin Weimin (23, Arizona Diamondbacks affiliate), who earned the notorious title of "Left-Side Lion" by tightly shutting down the Korean lineup during the group stage of the 2022 Hangzhou Games, remains on the roster and is ready to pitch. Additionally, right-handed ace Gu Linlu Liyang (26, Nippon Ham Fighters), familiar to domestic fans due to his close bond with Doosan Bears' Kwak Bin (27), is also in good condition.

"Surprise cards" are on standby to fill the voids left by injured players. The possibility of an emergency joining by "fireballer" Liu Zhilong (free agent), who has already been training with Taiwan's national team, is being strongly discussed. Liu Zhilong was a 150 km/h fastball pitcher who made headlines after sharing a passionate embrace with his "best friend" Kang Baek-ho immediately following the final match of the Hangzhou Games. After being released from Boston Red Sox minor leagues in June, he joined Taiwan's national team early for pre-season training in Japan while on free agency.

Secretary-General Lin Zongqing stated, "There is a principle not to forcibly draft players who have firmly established themselves in Major League Baseball or overseas leagues, considering their future prospects," but also added, "Despite the recurring challenges of drafting difficulties at every Asian Games, we are conducting final adjustments in accordance with this principle to build the best possible team."

Taiwan is an opponent that South Korea's national team, led by head coach Ryu Ji-hyun, must definitely overcome starting from their first group stage match on the 21st. Despite injury setbacks, Taiwan will reveal its final roster today (7th), maintaining its "Korean Killer" pitching staff and completing its lineup.

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*This content was translated by AI.