Detroit:Taiwanese infielder Cheng Tsung-che has been traded to the Detroit Tigers, raising the possibility of an all-Taiwanese middle-infield pairing in the 2027 Major League Baseball (MLB) season. The Boston Red Sox completed the trade with Detroit on Thursday, as noted on MLB's official transaction log.
According to Focus Taiwan, the Red Sox received cash considerations in return for Cheng. He will join fellow Taiwanese infielder Lee Hao-yu on the Tigers roster. While Lee established himself as a significant major league hitter in 2026, Cheng has yet to prove himself at that level.
Cheng, 25, debuted in MLB with the Pittsburgh Pirates in April 2025 but struggled with just seven at-bats and no hits. He had a better opportunity with Boston this year, hitting .256 with 10 hits and five RBIs across 14 games. During this period, Cheng contributed to Boston matching a franchise record of 15 consecutive victories, initially set in 1946, by making key defensive plays in the last two games of the streak.
Most of Cheng's season was spent with Triple-A Worcester, where he improved his performance, hitting .241 with eight home runs, compared to a .209 average and one home run with Indianapolis in 2025. Primarily a shortstop, Cheng might eventually play alongside Lee, who played both second and third base for Detroit in 2026.
Lee, 23, concluded his rookie MLB season with a .264 batting average, achieving 87 hits, 10 home runs, and 46 RBIs in 114 games, setting new Taiwanese single-season MLB records for hits, home runs, RBIs, and appearances. In earlier interviews with CNA, Taiwanese broadcasters Martin Lin and Jacky Lee remarked on Lee's hitting prowess, noting it has bolstered his case for regular playing time, although they indicated he needs to improve defensively. Lin anticipated that Detroit would offer Lee significant opportunities next spring, seeing him as the team's leading choice for second base in 2027.
