BASEBALL/Yu Chang joins Fubon Guardians on CPBL record deal over NT$90 million

Taipei, July 11 (CNA) Former major league player Yu Chang (張育成) officially joined the Fubon Guardians on Thursday morning on a multi-year deal worth more than NT$90 million (US$2.77 million), setting a new record for Taiwan's professional baseball league.

At a Taipei press conference for Chang's signing, the Guardians announced that the franchise and the 2024 Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) mid-season draft first pick have agreed to a 3.5-year contract worth NT$92.5 million, including bonuses he can earn by achieving certain set goals.

"I'm ready to go," the 28-year-old Chang said after the number was projected on the screen, drawing wows from attendees.

The franchise did not disclose details of the contract at Chang's request, Joyce Chen (陳昭如), president of the Guardians, said, but she did reveal that the deal sets a new high for monthly pay in CPBL history.

The previous monthly pay record was the NT$1.2 million received by all-time home run leader Ngayaw‧Ake' (林智勝) during the 2017-18 season, while the previous biggest deal went to Chang's teammate Chiang Shao-ching's (江少慶) NT$61.2 million over 4.5 years signed in 2021.

Known for his glove, Chang is expected to play shortstop for the Guardians, though he said, "I can play every infield position except pitcher and catcher."

The infield utility man said he will change his jersey number from 18 to 99 out of respect for his new teammate Huang Pao-lo (黃保羅), who owns No. 18, and New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge.

"[Pao-lo] is our Guardians' best pitcher and the future ace of our national team," said Chang, who also looks up to Captain Yankees' "character, attitude, and modesty."

According to Chen, the Guardians actively reached out to Chang at the end of the 2023 season when they secured the first pick, and it was after a meeting she had with Chang in the United States in late May that they approached an agreement.

However, returning home is a decision Chang mulled for over a year and a half, with the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC) Pool A games in Taiwan serving as a watershed moment.

"Actually, I felt the passion of [fans in] Taiwan and how different it is in the U.S., so I discussed with my family whether I should come back to play in the CPBL," Chang said.

After Taiwan was knocked out of the WBC last year, Chang thanked the fans for cheering for him while sobbing during a press interview, saying: "There is no one rooting for me overseas, and [it's just] lonely."

During the four games at the WBC, Chang recorded two homers, eight RBIs, and seven hits while batting .438 to be named Pool A MVP. That performance also saw his nickname change from "Chang the draft dodger" to the "Defense Minister," with his signature military salute pose going viral across the country.

That pose will further define Chang's plate appearances back in the CPBL in the coming years, as the Guardians' cheerleading squad showcased a personal cheering dance for the player at Thursday's activity.

Many Taiwanese top athletes are exempted from serving all or part of their compulsory military service in exchange for competing for the national team in international competitions. Chang, who played for Taiwan in the 2019 Asian Baseball Championship, has to serve only a 12-day military service on condition of playing for the national team whenever recruited until the end of 2024.

The press conference marked the end of Chang's pro career overseas, which began in 2013 and has been plagued by injuries in recent years, though the player said he has "zero regrets" and "can't wait to ride with the Guardians."

"I haven't shown my full potential when I played overseas. Now I'm back, I hope I can play every single game and stay healthy to help the team win [the championship]," Chang said, adding that he is "100 percent healthy."

Chang is slated to make his CPBL debut in Friday's home game against the Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions, for which over 8,000 tickets have been sold, the club said.

In addition, the Guardians will gift baseball cards featuring Chang at the first of their three-game series at the Taipei Dome starting on July 26, Chen said, pledging to give Chang a "grand welcome."