Taipei: The Rakuten Monkeys, reigning champions of Taiwan's professional baseball league, have made a significant move by signing Lin Li, a five-time all-star utility player, to an eight-year contract extension valued at up to NT$180 million (US$5.73 million). This announcement, made by the Monkeys on Wednesday, coincides with Lin's birthday and marks the second-largest deal in the history of Taiwan's Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL).
According to Focus Taiwan, the largest contract in CPBL history remains with Chen Chieh-hsien of the Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions, who inked a 10-year contract worth NT$200 million in early 2025. Monkeys manager Tseng Hao-jiu, speaking at a commercial event on Tuesday, emphasized Lin Li's pivotal role on the team, describing him as the "absolute leader." Lin's previous contract was set to expire at the end of 2025, and although he began his career in 2017, he did not meet the nine-year service requirement to qualify for free agency until after the 2026 season.
Opting for a long-term commitment instead of a short-term arrangement, the Monkeys decided to extend Lin's tenure with the team. Tseng expressed his delight over Lin's continued presence, anticipating that the player will take on greater responsibilities and further enhance his performance. Tseng also noted that the recent trend of awarding significant contracts by CPBL teams would likely inspire young talent to pursue careers in the league.
Lin, who celebrated his 30th birthday on Wednesday, was initially drafted by the Lamigo Monkeys (now Rakuten) as the fifth overall pick in the 2017 mid-season draft. His accolades include three batting titles and four CPBL championships with the franchise, highlighted by a "three-peat" from 2017 to 2019. Lin was named the 2019 Taiwan Series MVP and the 2022 regular season MVP. Throughout his career, Lin has demonstrated versatility by playing multiple positions, including shortstop, third base, and outfield, despite being officially designated as a second baseman during the 2025 season.
Furthermore, Lin played a crucial role in "Team Taiwan," contributing to their victory in the 2024 WBSC Premier12 championship, which marked Taiwan's first major senior-level international title in baseball.