CPBL: Brothers castoff pitches two straight scoreless innings after 27-day break

Wei Chuan Dragons' 23-year-old right-handed pitcher Chen Chih-chieh made an appearance in a minor league game on August 11, 2026, pitching one scoreless inning against the Rakuten Monkeys. This outing marked his second consecutive game without allowing a run.

Originally selected as the second overall pick by the Brothers in the 2021 draft, Chen was once a highly anticipated prospect. However, he has struggled to realize his potential, facing issues with both control and a significant decrease in pitching velocity, which at one point dropped below 130 kilometers per hour. Consequently, the Brothers released him after the 2024 season, and he subsequently joined the Wei Chuan Dragons to continue his professional career.

Chen has been playing in the minor league system this season, awaiting an opportunity. His previous appearance was on July 15, making his August 11 outing after a 27-day interval. During his inning of work, he successfully recorded one out after facing Chiu Sheng-yu, issuing a walk to Lin Yu-jui, but then settled down to retire Lin Cheng-fei and end the inning without further incident.

In his one inning of relief, Chen threw 25 pitches, with his fastest pitch recorded at 136 kilometers per hour. He did not allow any hits and finished the inning scoreless, though he did issue one walk. His season ERA in the minor league currently stands at 6.35.