TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Rakuten Monkeys (樂天桃猿) captain Lin Li (林立) nears a record-breaking contract extension worth more than NT$1 million (around US$32,050) monthly, the CPBL champions confirmed Monday (Dec. 15). The Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL, 中華職棒) team offered Lin a contract exceeding five years as he becomes a free agent after next season. The Monkeys acted decisively to retain their star player, who led the team to this year's championship. The deal could set a new record for extended contracts in Taiwan's top professional baseball league.
Lin's contract could surpass that of Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions (統一獅) star Chen Chieh-hsien (陳傑憲), potentially setting a new benchmark for CPBL extended contracts. The Monkeys aim to finalize the agreement this month and plan to announce the contract's specifics soon. Lin expressed an open attitude toward the contract's length, stating he has no limits and has entrusted the negotiations to his agent and the team.
The Monkeys have struggled to retain players in free agency despite clinching the CPBL championship this year, making their commitment to Lin significant. Lin delivered impressive stats despite playing only 73 regular-season games due to injury, posting a .344 batting average, seven home runs, 44 RBI, and 21 stolen bases. The captain also recorded an OPS+ of 155, underscoring his value to the defending champions. ◼ (At time of reporting, US$1 equals approximately NT$31.2)
