CPBL: Tseng Chia-Hui delivers 'perfect' performance, earns MVP honors

Rakuten Monkeys' homegrown pitcher Tseng Chia-Hui delivered a stellar performance on Friday, throwing a career-high 7 innings and allowing just 2 runs against the Fubon Guardians. With 88 pitches, he recorded 9 strikeouts, securing his fifth win of the season and earning the Most Valuable Player award. Tseng remains undefeated this season with an impressive ERA of 2.57, demonstrating a level of play comparable to foreign pitchers.

Playing for the first time at the expansive Taipei Dome in front of a crowd of 30,771, Tseng admitted to feeling nervous. "I was quite nervous; I've never seen so many fans before," he said. "It's been a while since I last stepped on the Taipei Dome mound." He recalled pitching there during a warm-up game for the 2024 Premier12 competition.

Tseng expressed surprise at his own success, stating, "Honestly, my pitching felt quite off before today. I'm very surprised by this performance." He felt strong after the first two innings and gradually became more comfortable, regaining the form he had earlier in the season. Despite throwing only 88 pitches over 7 innings, Tseng felt he could have continued. "The coaching staff said if it were the playoffs, they would let me keep going," he mentioned, adding that with over two months left in the regular season, resting was the priority.

Looking ahead, Tseng aims for 10 wins this season but emphasizes focusing on each game rather than fixating on the total number. "I don't particularly think about how many wins I'll get this year," he said. "I just want to do my best in every game. Whether I get the win depends on luck."

Rakuten manager Tseng Hao-Chu lauded his pitcher's effort. "Tseng pitched after a 10-day rest, and his overall condition has recovered significantly," the manager stated. "His performance today was absolutely perfect."