Sources: Daily Sports / Daily Sports
Hanshin announced the signing of former Chiba Lotte Marines pitcher Wei-Yin Chen (35) on December 22nd. It is an estimated 2-year, $4-million deal. He will wear #14, which belonged to Atsushi Nohmi this past season. The lefty has 95 career wins between NPB and MLB, and says he hopes to help the team win a pennant in 2021.
This signing makes him the first new import addition to the club this offseason. He was once a “Tiger Killer” while playing for the Chunichi Dragons (2004-11), but from next season, he will join forces with the Tigers.
Through a club official, Chen had this to say: “I was moved by the team’s earnestness in approaching me and the incredible playing environment they offer. Given his age, ¥210 million per season is a pretty hefty offer. The team also showed him respect by immediately offering him #14. Team chairman Tanimoto said, “Giving him the number just worn by Nohmi, who won over 100 games with the club, shows how much faith we have that Chen will perform well.”
Chen signed with the Marines last September 21, marking his return to NPB after a 9-year absence. He did not record a win, but threw 26 innings in 4 starts, receiving only 2 runs of support along the way from his club.
Tanimoto commented, “He threw nothing but quality starts, and showed good control and movement on his pitches. He throws close to 150 km/h, and we believe he has a lot left in the tank.” The Tigers approached Chen immediately when the league opened the doors for clubs to negotiate with free agents.
The Tigers only had two lefties in the rotation this season: Haruto Takahashi and Onelki Garcia. With Garcia gone, it was clear that the team needed to address the lack of southpaw starters. Despite several teams showing an interest in Chen, the Tigers won the negotiation wars. “We really wanted one or two more lefties, so this is a big acquisition for us,” said Tanimoto, cracking a smile.
“I will do all I can to help bring this team a championship and be remembered and cheered on by these fans,” Chen said.
Wei-Yin Chen was born in Taiwan on July 21, 1985, and is 183 cm tall, 90 kg in weight, throwing left and batting right. He recorded the lowest ERA in the CL in 2009, and played for the Baltimore Orioles and Miami Marlins after leaving the Dragons. He also represented Taiwan in the 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympic Games.
The Tigers announced on December 23 that they signed pitcher Raúl Alcántara (28), who led KBO with 20 wins with the Doosan Bears in 2020, to a contract. It is believed to be a two-year deal worth $2-million (¥210 million) annually.
Alcantara stands 193 cm tall and hails from the Dominican Republic. He joined the Red Sox in 2009, and made his major-league debut with the Oakland Athletics in 2016. His MLB record is 2-5 in 13 games.
He signed on with the KT Wiz of KBO (South Korea) in the 2018 offseason, and won 11 games in 2019. This past season with Doosan, he went 20-2 and had a 2.54 ERA. Hanshin hopes he will join the starting rotation in 2021.
Through a club spokesman, Alcantara commented, “I am thankful for this opportunity to play for the Hanshin Tigers, and am proud to be part of such a great organization. I’m really excited to put on the Tigers uniform and play for the team. I promise to always give 100% to help the team to victory.”
The team is also believed to be very close to signing 2020 KBO MVP Mel Rojas Jr (outfielder) to a deal for next season.