BASEBALL/Giants trade top Taiwanese pitcher Teng Kai-wei to Astros

Taipei, Jan. 30 (CNA) Teng Kai-wei (鄧愷威), the only Taiwanese pitcher to have appeared in a Major League Baseball (MLB) game over the past two seasons, has been traded by the San Francisco Giants to the Houston Astros.

"I'm truly grateful to the @sfgiants organization for all the development and support they've given me during this period," Teng wrote in an Instagram post on Friday.

"From the moment I entered the system, every adjustment and step of growth was met with patience and guidance."

He also thanked the Astros' front office for its interest and confidence in him, and for "giving me the opportunity to take on new challenges and responsibilities."

The Astros waived pitcher J.P. France to make room for the Taiwanese right-hander on their 40-man roster, while the Giants received minor league catcher Jancel Villarroel and international bonus pool money in exchange.

The deal was first reported by The Athletic on Thursday (U.S. time).

The move came about three weeks after the 27-year-old said he had decided not to suit up for Team Taiwan in the upcoming 2026 World Baseball Classic following discussions with the Giants.

Citing Teng's ability to generate swings and misses, Jacky Lee (李秉昇), a Videoland Sports anchor, said the trade was an attempt by the Astros to bolster their pitching depth after Framber Valdez and Luis Garcia declared free agency in the offseason.

"His experience serving as a long reliever can also add depth to the Astros' bullpen, which lacks right-handers," Lee wrote in a Facebook post, adding that the Giants' pitching staff is deeper than that of the Astros.

Teng appeared in 12 MLB games over the past two seasons, including seven starts in eight outings in 2025.

He struck out 46 batters while allowing 33 earned runs over 40 2/3 innings, posting a 7.30 earned run average (ERA).