TAIPEI: After six challenging years, Gu Lin Ruei-yang (????) of the Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions has achieved a rare feat in Taiwan’s professional baseball league by securing the 2024 Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) regular season MVP award. This accomplishment marks the first time a Taiwanese pitcher has won the MVP award since Lin En-yu (???) of the Macoto Cobras in 2006, breaking a near two-decade drought for local pitchers.

According to Focus Taiwan, from 2007 to 2023, pitchers have claimed the CPBL MVP title four times, but all were foreign nationals. Gu Lin’s impressive 2024 season featured a league-leading 1.66 ERA, 10 wins, and 125 innings pitched over 21 games, all personal bests. He was the only Taiwanese pitcher to achieve double-digit wins this year.

Gu Lin attributed his success to Uni-Lions manager Lin Yueh-ping (???), whom he regards as “my second dad.” This sentiment is mutual, as Lin described Gu Lin as “just like my son” while discussing his potential for playing overseas in 20
25.

Reflecting on his journey since being drafted in 2018, Gu Lin acknowledged the support he received from Lin during difficult times, including the loss of his father and grandfather. “I was inconsistent, and I lost faith in myself, but I believe Manager Ping faced a lot of doubts when he put me in this position,” Gu Lin said emotionally at the awards ceremony in Taipei.

Despite facing health challenges since joining the Uni-Lions, including a back injury during the Taiwan Series, Gu Lin is poised for a potential move overseas. Japan’s Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) are reportedly pursuing him actively.

On Nov. 1, the CPBL confirmed that the Uni-Lions approved Gu Lin’s decision to exercise free agency, enabling overseas teams to negotiate for the star pitcher. If he joins the NPB, he will be the first Taiwanese player to transition from the CPBL since Wang Po-jung (???) in 2019 and the first Taiwanese pitcher since Lin En-yu in 2007.

Gu Lin aims to inspire young Taiwa
nese players by proving that local talent can also compete internationally. “Pitchers from the CPBL can also compete against foreign pitchers,” he stated confidently.