Chen Kuan-Yu, who played in Japanese professional baseball for nine years starting in 2011, is now playing for the Rakuten Monkeys in his home country's professional team in Taiwan. We caught up with him when he visited Japan for an exhibition game between the Monkeys and his former club, the Chiba Lotte Marines, held in Ishigaki City, Okinawa. He spoke about his team, the differences between Japanese and Taiwanese professional baseball, and his beloved family.

——You’ve been with a variety of teams through your work with both Japanese and Taiwanese professional baseball and the WBC. From that vantage point, what kind of team do you feel the Rakuten Monkeys are, having been with them since 2021?

“Everyone on the monkeys has an incredibly strong will to ‘win together,’ more than any other team I’ve been with. There’s a word that describes it well ― ‘Unity.’ Professional players naturally tend to focus on their own numbers and individual records. But my Rakuten Monkeys teammates always seem to be thinking about what their individual contributions mean for the team. That’s why everyone is able to have real, open conversations. It’s a genuinely great atmosphere, and it connects to my own sense of purpose.”

——What was it like playing in front of Japanese baseball fans again after so long?

“I was so happy they still remembered me, more than anything.I can’t thank them enough. Some fans have been cheering for me since my Yokohama DeNA BayStars days, others from my days with the Chiba Lotte Marines. Taiwanese baseball fans tend to cheer specifically for one team, so I feel enamored that there are Japanese fans who have followed someone like me going across multiple teams.”

——For the Japanese fans who have supported you along on your journey and now want to cheer for you with the Rakuten Monkeys, what aspects of Taiwanese professional baseball would you recommend they enjoy?

“I’d love for them to enjoy the two-season format, which is different from Japanese professional baseball. For us players, the pressure is real ― if you don’t perform well in the first half, you might not get to play in the second. But that’s also what makes the first half exciting. And the second half, of course, is where the yearly champion is decided, so you can’t miss that either!”

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——You often post photos of your family on Instagram. What kind of positive impact does your family have on your work as a professional baseball player?

“They’re the ones cheering me on from the front row, and I feel truly blessed to have such a wonderful family. There have been so many times when I’ve come home after losing a game, seen my kids’ faces, and felt a sense of relief that helped me get past the pain of losing.”

——You’re known for being a devoted father. What are some things you do to prioritize your family?

“I need to spend ten months of the year playing baseball, so I’ve decided to put my family first for the remaining two months, no matter what. If they want to go to the zoo, we go. If they want to travel, we go anywhere, even overseas. I want to do everything I can for them.”

——Would you like your children to take an interest in baseball too?

“Absolutely! I definitely want to play baseball with them. They’re welcome to go pro too. By then I’ll have retired. But I really hope I can in some way open doors so that my kids will be interested in baseball, too. And it’s not just my own kids. I want to give hope to every child in Taiwan through baseball. That’s why I have to keep being a player they look up to for as long as I can.”

Chen Kuan-Yu @kuanyu1029

Born 1990 in Taiwan. Pitcher. After excelling in university baseball, he made his professional debut with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars in 2011. He later played for the Chiba Lotte Marines and the social baseball team An-Yong Fresh before joining the Rakuten Monkeys in 2021.

TEXT：Yohsuke Watanabe (IN FOCUS)