CPBL: Taiwanese Team Wei-Chuan Dragons Face Tough Decision on Foreign Players

The Wei-Chuan Dragons, a team in Taiwan's Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL), are facing a critical decision regarding their foreign player roster. With the league's "August 31st deadline" looming, the team must release one of their five foreign players: slugger Moore, and pitchers Elih Villanueva, Ryan Brasier, Mitch Lively, and Nick Addington.

The roster situation is complex. Brasier has already made his scheduled start, while Lively is slated to pitch today against the Fubon Guardians. Villanueva has returned to the United States to attend his brother's wedding and will rejoin the team soon. He is scheduled to start against the Wei-Chuan Dragons tomorrow.

New foreign pitcher Nick Addington has yet to make an appearance in either the major or minor leagues. According to pitching coach Xiao Ren-wen, Addington is scheduled to pitch in a minor league game in two days, throwing between 40 and 50 pitches. This appearance will serve as a crucial reference point for the coaching staff's decision, as there will be no further opportunities for Addington to play in a major league game before the August 31st deadline.

"It's not necessarily Lively who will be cut," Xiao emphasized, indicating that the decision is not yet finalized. Last season, Lively had a strong record with 13 wins and 3 losses in 25 starts, boasting an ERA of 1.89. However, his performance this season has been a stark contrast, with 4 wins and 9 losses in 17 starts and an ERA of 5.11. While external assessments suggest Lively is a likely candidate for release, the coaching staff is still deliberating. Addington's performance in the upcoming minor league game will be a significant factor in their final choice.

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It's not necessarily Lively who will be cut.