Taipei, Taiwan – In a highly anticipated matchup at Taipei’s Tianmu Stadium on Friday, the Chinese Taipei national baseball team faced the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), with veteran pitcher Gu Lin Rui-xuan taking the mound for Chinese Taipei. The game, part of the ongoing Taiwan-Japan baseball exchange series, saw Song Sheng-rui lead off for Chinese Taipei, marking a significant moment for the rising star.
Gu Lin, a familiar face to the Fighters having previously played within their organization, pitched against his former team. The starting lineup for Chinese Taipei featured Song Sheng-rui in center field, batting first, followed by Zhang Yu-cheng at third base and Chen Jie-xian in right field. Lin An-ke served as the designated hitter, with Wu Nien-ting at first base, Jiang Kun-yu at shortstop, Lin Jia-zheng as catcher, Lin Tzu-wei at second base, and Chen Chen-wei in left field.
The inclusion of Song Sheng-rui in the starting lineup, and specifically at the leadoff position, was a notable development. He was not originally on the 30-man roster for the series, adding an element of surprise to the team’s strategy. This move allows Lin An-ke to return to the designated hitter role, shifting Ji-Li Gilou-Gong to the bench.
On the opposing side, the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters fielded a lineup led by manager Atsunori Inaba, with pitcher Hosono Haruki starting the game. Their batting order included players such as Mizutani Shun, Manpo Nakamasu, Franmil Reyes, and Gunji Yuto.
The game is part of Chinese Taipei’s preparation for the upcoming sixth World Baseball Classic (WBC). The team is using the exchange series to fine-tune its roster and strategies ahead of the international tournament. Following this game, Chinese Taipei is expected to announce further roster adjustments, including the addition of Long En (Jonathon Long) as a supplementary player.
Hosono Haruki, the Fighters’ starting pitcher, stated his goal was to put pressure on the Taiwanese hitters, specifically aiming to challenge players like Ito, and Kitayama. The atmosphere at Tianmu Stadium was electric, with fans eager to witness the competition between the two teams.
