US-based Taiwanese left-handed starting pitcher Chen Wei-yin, who has become a free agent for the first time after his four-year contract with the Baltimore Orioles expired, is an attractive option in the Major League Baseball (MLB) free-agent market.
However, Chen on Monday said in Taipei that he has not yet decided which team he wants to play for.
Recently, reports have indicated that the New York Yankees would be among the teams pursuing Chen, and many of his fans would be happy to see him play for the team.
Photo: Lin Cheng-kun, Taipei Times
Chen, who arrived in Taiwan on Monday, said at a news conference that the Yankees are a good option, but not the only choice for him, given that it is only one of the 30 MLB teams.
During the news conference, Chen announced that he would donate NT$514,500 and use NT$269,070 remaining in a baseball scholarship fund he created in 2012 to establish a charity fund in Taipei.
Asked about the next chapter of his professional baseball career, Chen said that is something for his agent, Scott Boras, to handle.
Chen said he was happy to learn that many teams have expressed an interest in him.
Chen said that being an MLB player has been his goal since he was a high-school student and was nervous the first time he played for an MLB team.
Describing this year as crucial for him, Chen said that the expectations of his Taiwanese fans are high.
Chen, 30, made his professional debut with the Chunichi Dragons of Japan’s Central League in 2005. He led the league with a 1.54 earned run average (ERA) in 2009, and posted a 3.27 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 650-2/3 career Nippon Professional Baseball innings.
Following the 2011 season, Chen opted out of his contract with Chunichi to sign with the Orioles for roughly US$15.7 million.
In his four years in Baltimore, Chen was 46-32 with a 3.72 ERA, and in three of his four seasons, he won at least 11 games, made at least 31 starts and pitched 185-plus innings.
He finished fourth in Rookie of the Year voting in 2012 and holds a 4.50 career ERA at Yankee Stadium in 46 innings pitched.
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