Jonathon Long, an infielder in the Chicago Cubs organization, is to be unable to join Team Taiwan at the upcoming World Baseball Classic (WBC) due to an elbow injury, the CPBL said in a news release today.
The CPBL, which coordinates the national team, said it was notified by the Cubs franchise that Long is still hampered by a strained left elbow.
Photo: AFP
The injury has forced the 24-year-old to withdraw from the roster, it said.
“Long was very eager to suit up for the national team, and his determination deeply moved us,” the CPBL said. “We wish him a fast recovery and hope to see him back on the field soon.”
The coaching staff is expected to announce a replacement for Long following a four-day exhibition series between Taiwan and Japanese professional teams, which concludes on Saturday.
Long sprained his left elbow during a Cactus League game against the Texas Rangers on Saturday last week, when he collided with a runner at the bag, and was forced to leave the game.
As preliminary checks found no bone fractures, Long had initially hoped to join the Taiwan team for the WBC games in Tokyo, but follow-up examinations by the Cubs’ medical staff indicated that his rehabilitation timeline would not align with the tournament schedule.
Born to a Taiwanese mother and a US father, Long is eligible to represent Taiwan under the WBC’s flexible ancestry rules.
He spent the last entire season with the Cubs’ Triple-A affiliate, where he posted a .307/.405/.480 slash line.