Taiwan’s Cheng Tsung-che on Monday was called up by the Pittsburgh Pirates for his first MLB appearance, becoming the first Taiwanese player to reach the majors this year.
Cheng, who signed as an international free agent in 2019, was returning from the first series for Triple-A affiliate the Indianapolis Indians and was preparing for his wife’s birthday when he got the call up to the majors for the first time, MLB.com reported on Monday.
“It feels like this is kind of the best birthday gift for her,” the Web site quoted the infielder as saying through his interpreter, Haagen Tan.
Photo: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images / USA Today
The Pirates announced the promotion on social media, saying it was recalling Cheng after placing Jared Triolo on the 10-day injured list.
“I [was] really excited when I got the call. It’s kind of like a dream come true,” Cheng said in a video released by the franchise.
The Pirates’ No. 17 prospect, who is referred to as “Z” by his teammates, is to make his first majors appearance, nearly five years after he made his professional debut in the Rookie Leagues in July 2021.
Cheng, whose jersey number is 71, is the 18th Taiwanese player to play in the majors.
The most recent Taiwanese player to make it to the majors was Teng Kai-wei, who had a four-game stint with the San Francisco Giants. He currently plays with the Giants’ Triple-A team.
Although Cheng has only played 11 games with Indianapolis — six at the end of last season, and five this year — his 65-grade fielding tool is the highest among the Pirates top 30 prospects, MLB.com’s Alex Stumpf wrote.
Scouting grades range from 20 to 80, with 60 considered above average and 70-80 indicating well-above average.
“I think we saw the full scope of it in spring training,” Stumpf quoted Pirates manager Derek Shelton as saying. “Regardless if he played second or short, he can really defend. He’s played some third, a little bit in the minor leagues. With losing Triolo, we needed someone who could play short as the backup. We felt he fit us the best.”
Cheng’s opportunity came after Triolo was placed on the injured list with a lumbar spine strain, MLB.com said.
That followed a string of injuries for the Buccos’ infielders, including Nick Gonzales, Spencer Horwitz and No. 5 prospect Nick Yorke.
Cheng, 23, bats left and throws right. In 17 at-bats over 14 spring training games, he tallied six hits, including one homer and two doubles, with a .353 batting average.
His ability to play multiple infield positions also set him apart from other potential call-up candidates.
Cheng is expected to begin in a bench role.
Although he did not appear in the Pirates’ 8-4 win at home over the St Louis Cardinals on Monday, he did show up to batting practice, where he took in the view of the city skyline from PNC Park, Stumpf said.
“That’s the moment that makes you feel: ‘Oh, it’s true,’” MLB.com quoted Cheng as saying.
Although Cheng, who played for Taiwan in the 2023 World Baseball Classic and won the Caribbean Series championship with Colombia in 2022, speaks through an interpreter, he last month told MLB.com that he was learning English through country music.
While playing for Pirates’ Double-A affiliate the Altoona Curve last year and in 2023, his walk-up music was Luke Combs’ version of Fast Car.
He told Stumpf that he was also learning Spanish to forge closer relationships with his teammates.
Meanwhile in Pittsburgh on Monday night, Joey Bart, Andrew McCutchen and Isiah Kiner-Falefa each drove in two runs, as the Pirates handed the Cardinals their fourth consecutive loss.
Bart connected in the first inning for his first homer of the season. He also hit an RBI triple during Pittsburgh’s four-run seventh.
Elsewhere, the Detroit Tigers shut down the New York Yankees 6-2, The Cincinnati Reds blanked the Giants 2-0, the Washington Nationals defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-4, the Kansas City Royals topped the Minnesota Twins 4-2, the New York Mets shut out the Miami Marlins 2-0 and the San Diego Padres pipped the Athletics 5-4.
The Toronto Blue Jays took down the Boston Red Sox 6-2, the Chicago Cubs dominated the Texas Rangers 7-0, the Seattle Mariners survived the Houston Astros 4-3 and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-1.
Additional reporting by AP
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