WBC / Slugger Lee Hao-yu withdraws from Team Taiwan ahead of WBC opener

Taipei, March 5 (CNA) Infielder Lee Hao-yu (李灝宇), the Detroit Tigers' No. 6 prospect, withdrew Thursday from the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) due to health concerns, just hours before Team Taiwan's Pool C opener against Australia.

In a statement, the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL), which coordinated the national team roster, said the Tigers made the final call to pull Lee from the tournament.

"Preliminary MRI results reviewed by team doctors suggested that his condition was not a significant issue," the CPBL said. "Nonetheless, the findings were forwarded to the tournament's medical staff and his parent organization for further review."

"The Detroit Tigers officially notified the national team this morning that, as a precautionary measure, they intend to keep Lee under observation and have opted to withdraw him from the WBC roster due to the injury. He will be replaced by infielder Chang Cheng-yu (張政禹)," the CPBL said.

Lee's absence delivers another blow to a lineup already missing Chicago Cubs prospect Jonathon Long, who withdrew in late February with a sprained left elbow.

Lee experienced tightness in his left side after batting during Tuesday's official warm-up game, according to a source familiar with the matter.

On Wednesday, CPBL Commissioner Tsai Chi-chang (蔡其昌) said that while the trainers had initially cleared Lee of any major issues, the Tigers remained cautious and instructed the infielder to undergo further medical evaluation.

"The Tigers organization is approaching this with extreme caution because they consider Hao-yu a vital asset," Tsai said.

Lee, 23, is a versatile infielder known for his slugging power at second and third base. He spent the entire 2025 season with the Tigers' Triple-A affiliate, slashing .243/.342/.406 across 126 games, with 14 home runs and 61 RBIs.