BASEBALL/Uni-Lions offer Chen Chieh-hsien NT$160 million CPBL record deal

Taipei, Feb. 27 (CNA) The Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions of Taiwan's Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) have offered star outfielder Chen Chieh-hsien (陳傑憲) a record-breaking new contract worth in excess of NT$160 million (US$4.87 million).

The Uni-Lions confirmed Wednesday that the multi-year offer, which would be the largest in the history of Taiwan's Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) if signed, was made a couple of weeks ago and is awaiting the five-time CPBL All-Star's signature.

"Now that the World Baseball Classic Qualifiers (WBCQ) have concluded, the franchise is looking forward to hearing from Chieh-hsien soon so we can focus on preparing for the upcoming season," the team said in a statement.

While the specifics of the contract remain undisclosed, the franchise is expected to announce details after Chen signs the deal.

The statement marked the Uni-Lions' most direct acknowledgment of their efforts to retain Chen since November 2024, when he led Taiwan to its first major senior-level international championship at the WBSC Premier12.

Over the two-week tournament, Chen posted a tournament-best .632 batting average, earning MVP honors, recognition as one of the event's top defensive players, and a spot on the all-world team.

With commentators touting Chen as the new face of the CPBL, speculation has grown over his future with the Uni-Lions.

Since late 2024, the Tainan-based organization has repeatedly expressed its determination to keep Chen a Uni-Lion player "for life," yet negotiations remained at a standstill during the WBCQ.

A key issue in the talks could be the total value of the deal.

Chen has emphasized the short window of a professional athlete's career, saying on multiple occasions, "We are seizing the chance to maximize our value."

The Uni-Lions outfielder's current contract runs through the 2026 season, but reported interest from overseas clubs following the Premier12 and the CPBL's recent competitive free-agent market have given Chen further leverage in negotiations.

Before Wednesday, the Uni-Lions had remained reticent about the financial details of the contract, saying only that they would be announced along with updates on other players' contracts.

The Wednesday statement indicated that the team has signed six players to multi-year contracts, including a five-year, NT$48 million deal for closing pitcher Chen Yun-wen (陳韻文).