Japanese franchise the Saitama Seibu Lions yesterday announced that they have signed Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions slugger Lin An-ko, one of this year’s three Most Valuable Player finalists for CPBL.
The Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) team announced in a news release that Lin would wear No. 73, but did not disclose contract details.
“I am very happy to be able to take on the challenge of playing in Japan, and I will do my best every day to showcase my strengths,” Lin said in the release.
Photo: CNA
The announcement followed Monday’s statement from the Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions that Seibu had secured exclusive negotiating rights with the 28-year-old outfielder, who exercised his overseas free agency option earlier this month.
Taiwanese baseball sources said the deal would likely be a two-year contract with a one-year option, worth up to US$1 million annually, including bonuses.
The sources added that the Japanese club would also have to pay transfer fees to the Uni-Lions, putting the total value of the agreement near US$4 million.
After joining the Tainan-based Uni-Lions as the fourth overall pick in the 2019 mid-season draft, Lin smashed 32 home runs to earn the Rookie of the Year award in his first full CPBL season in 2020.
In 2025, he batted a career-best .318 over 90 games and hit his 100th CPBL home run in a game against the Fubon Guardians in Tainan on June 28.
Japan’s Sponichi Annex reported that Seibu finished last season in fifth place, with the lowest team batting average, runs scored and slugging percentage in the NPB, underscoring the team’s need for a power hitter.
A runner who stopped during a marathon in China to pose doing the splits and another who hoarded energy gels have been banned for two years, the local athletics association said yesterday. The incidents happened during Sunday’s marathon in Sichuan Province’s Chengdu and were widely shared online. Videos showed a female runner stopping suddenly and dropping to the ground in the splits position, holding up her arms in a heart shape as she apparently posed for a photograph. She “committed obstructive fouls during the race, affecting the safe participation of other runners,” the Sichuan Athletics Association said in a statement, which identified
Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli yesterday vowed to “keep raising the bar” after winning the Japanese Grand Prix to become the youngest driver in Formula One history to lead the championship standings. The 19-year-old Italian took advantage of a mid-race safety car to jump into the lead after a dreadful start from pole position, crossing the line ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. Antonelli’s Suzuka victory came two weeks after the first grand prix win of his career in China, and sent him top of the championship standings after three races, nine points ahead of team-mate George Russell. Mercedes are struggling to
Teng Kai-wei, the only Taiwanese player on an opening-day roster in this year’s Major League Baseball (MLB) season, took his first win of the year with the Houston Astros in his season debut. Teng entered in relief in the top of the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday, with the Astros trailing 5-0. He pitched 2-1/3 scoreless innings with two strikeouts, as Houston scored 11 runs during his outing to snatch an 11-9 comeback victory. The win is the Astros’ first of the season and the third of Teng’s MLB career. “It’s my first time pitching for the Astros, so
Workers are hammering, cranes are swinging and seats are being bolted into place — but the clock is ticking. Mexico City’s famous Azteca stadium, reborn as Estadio Banorte, is in a frantic race to be ready for its grand reopening on Saturday. Drone footage showed crews installing seats and attaching the new stadium name to the facade, with cranes looming overhead 48 hours before the gates are due to open for a high-profile friendly between Mexico and Portugal. For residents, the breakneck pace of construction has done little to inspire confidence. “I know they are working practically seven days a week, 24 hours
RSS