TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwanese slugger Lin An-ko (林安可) declared his readiness for the upcoming Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) season at the Saitama Seibu Lions press conference on Friday (Jan. 30). Lin voiced his anticipation to face his former team, the Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions (統一獅) of Taiwan’s Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL, 中華職棒), in the “Lions Clash match” in April. The exhibition game will mark Lin’s first appearance against his decade-long former club as an NPB player.
Lin became the CPBL’s home run and RBI champion in 2020 with 32 home runs and 99 RBIs. Last year, he maintained strong production with 23 home runs, 73 RBIs, and a .318 batting average, making him a top MVP contender in Taiwan’s league. At the press conference, Lin stated his belief in his power-hitting ability and his aim to contribute to the Seibu Lions with both offense and defense.
Seibu Lions general manager Kōji Hiroike (廣池浩司) emphasized Lin’s potential to boost the team’s scoring efficiency, noting the club has remained in the Pacific League’s B-class for three consecutive years. Lin’s memorable home run against Japan in the Premier12 tournament two years ago solidified his reputation among Japanese fans. Hiroike confirmed the team will support Lin’s participation in the World Baseball Classic (WBC) if called upon. ◼