Pedro Fernandez, ace pitcher with the Rakuten Monkeys, on Wednesday won the CPBL regular-season Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, becoming the first international player to do so.
Fernandez, who is from the Dominican Republic, earned 208 points out of a possible 230 in MVP voting for the regular season.
He also claimed the Taiwan Series MVP award at the ceremony at Kaohsiung Marriott Hotel.
Photo: CNA
In the league’s 36-year history, it was the first time that an international player had taken the two awards in one year and the fourth time that any player had done so.
“I want to thank each of my coaches and teammates. They are part of this special honor,” the right-hander said in a recorded speech.
“This achievement is not mine alone, but the fruition of our entire team,” Fernandez said, adding that he would never forget the moment.
Photo: CNA
Fernandez, who joined the Monkeys in 2023, had his second full CPBL season this year, leading the league with 168 strikeouts and 15 wins over 170 innings in 26 starts, while ranking fourth with a 2.01 ERA.
Fubon Guardians reliever Li Wu Yung-qin was named Most Improved Player, while TSG Hawks closer Lin Shi-xiang won the rookie and saves awards.
Li Wu tossed 42-1/3 innings in 56 appearances this season for the Guardians, posting an ERA of 2.76.
Photo: CNA
He thanked his wife for supporting him through “a decade of ups and downs,” during which he mostly played in the minors.
Lin, 24, played in 60 games out of the bullpen, throwing 60-1/3 innings and recording a league-high 30 saves with a 1.79 ERA.
CPBL commissioner Tsai Chi-chang at the ceremony announced plans to introduce a ball-strike challenge system in 2027.
Photo: CNA
The league would trial TrackMan — a Doppler radar technology system that tracks the movement and characteristics of a baseball — next season, with the aim of officially implementing the automatic ball-strike challenge system in 2027.
Other initiatives include recruiting Japanese umpires to improve the quality of the games and launching a new CPBL app, he said.
Photo: CNA
Photo: CNA
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