Cleveland Indians’ Yu-cheng Chang, a.k.a. Yu Chang, has been a brilliant defensive player so far this year. He has flashes of batting performance, but otherwise is batting .211 over 45 plate appearances prior to last night’s game against the Angels, where he blasted a 3 run home run.
He’s only the 4th Taiwanese players to do so. The first 3 Taiwanese players to hit a home run in the MLB are Hong-chih Kuo, Chin-lung Hu, and Red Sox’s Tzu-wei Lin.
He hit one as a relief pitcher?
It wasn’t a cheap yank, either, it was driven over right centerfield. Why is he struggling with his BA?
Straight fastball right down the middle. Good a really good pitch to hit.
Kuo was the starter and he pitched 7 innings that day.
It was June 12 2007, Mets at Dodgers. Kuo was a part of a back to back to back to back.
Congrats to Chang. Now is the time of the Taiwanese hitter: Chang, Tsunami Lin, and Pojung in the NPB. Wonder if Jingde Zhang of the Pirates will get a callup.
Great stuff
Nice. If you’re going to hit a homerun, this is a great setup. First home run is even better.
Better not be too successful or might get sidelined like Lin.
Yu Chang and Tzuwei Lin are going to play in the Asian Baseball championship. It’s a qualifier for a qualifier for the Olympics. However, not sure we need them to pass.
The top two finishers of the ABC who aren’t already qualified advance to the final qualifier. Japan already has an autobid. So it’s Taiwan, Korea, and a bunch of cupcakes vying for two spots. We dun need no profashionals.
If we’re the top Asian team besides Japan in the Premiere 12, and we’ve advanced to the top 6, we’re in outright. No further games necessary.
Unfortunately, no one on any 40 man roster is allowed to play. But I’ve heard rumblings that Shaoching Chang wants to play.
I’m a little pissed a Japan for lobbying for a 6-team only Olympics. Damn them.
Yu Chang ran so fast in a game, he almost collided with Josh Naylor, the runner in front of him, after a Roberto Perez double off the wall.
Reminds me of this
and that was before the Posey rule, he could have gotten his leg taken off.
Oh yeah he could’ve gotten absolutely clobbered. These were the days when Pete Rose trucked the catcher to win an all-star game.
Yu Chang is on the IL because he got COVID 
https://www.instagram.com/p/CexIeIfMDBZ/
Yu Chang has been traded to the Pirates and he’s still amazing.
Buff for a middle infielder.
That was a nice play in that link, but you’re kinda of overstating it for a guy that was traded for cash after being DFA.
He was doing great in ST. Yu Chang had a bit of slump after getting COVID and sitting out for a while.
Yu Chang’s first homerun this year.
Yu Chang has been on a 7 game hitting streak, and yesterday he got his third home run this year. For the last 7 games, his AVG/OBP/SLG looks liek this .421/.500/.737
Finally, Yu Chang has hitting like he was during the spring training. After COVID and getting traded twice, Yu is getting consistent ABs with the Rays. Glad to see him bounding back.