Taiwanese Pitcher Chang Chun-wei Shines with 8 Strikeouts in Japanese Minor League Start

SoftBank's 20-year-old Taiwanese pitcher, Chang Chun-wei, showcased his talent with an impressive outing in a second-string league game on July 9, 2026. Chang started for SoftBank and delivered a quality start, pitching 6.2 innings while allowing only one run. He demonstrated his strong strikeout ability, fanning eight batters during his appearance.

Facing the Orix team, Chang maintained a no-hitter through the first four innings. He recorded three consecutive strikeouts in the fifth inning. Although he encountered some trouble in the sixth inning, giving up a walk followed by a long hit, he managed to stabilize and strike out Yutaro Sugimoto to end the inning with runners on base.

In the seventh inning, after recording two outs, Chang gave up a solo home run to Naito Ho. This was followed by a double from Hiroshi Kubota, prompting SoftBank to bring in a relief pitcher. The reliever successfully ended the threat, preventing further runs from scoring. SoftBank's second-string team ultimately won the game 4-1.

Chang threw 99 pitches over his 6.2 innings, recording his fastest pitch at 154 kph. He allowed four hits, including the home run, and surrendered one earned run. He also issued two walks and hit one batter. His season ERA now stands at 3.77.