TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Rakuten Monkeys (樂天桃猿) captured Taiwan's Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL, 中華職棒) championship Monday night with a decisive 9-7 victory. The triumph marks the franchise's first title since Japanese retail giant Rakuten Group, Inc. (樂天企業) acquired the team in 2020. The Monkeys overcame significant season challenges, including player food safety controversies, while maintaining team unity.
Head coach Tseng Hao-chu (曾豪駒) led the championship celebration after years of setbacks since Rakuten's takeover. Tseng expressed gratitude to players, company leadership, and Manager Kenji Furukubo following the historic victory. The franchise, previously known as Lamigo Monkeys (Lamigo桃猿), dominated Taiwan baseball with six championships between 2012-2019 before the ownership change.
Tseng credited past failures as crucial learning experiences that delivered this long-awaited championship for devoted fans. The Monkeys endured a devastating seven-game Taiwan Series loss to Wei Chuan Dragons (味全龍) in 2023. Following that defeat, Tseng transitioned from manager to his current coaching position. ◼