South korea: As Taiwan gears up for the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC), the team's ambitions are clear: to break past their historical performance limitations and secure a spot in the quarterfinals in Miami. Taiwan's captain, Chen Chieh-hsien, expressed his hopes for success before the team left for Japan, stating, "I hope that on March 10, we will not be seeing you back in Taiwan." Taiwan must finish in the top two in Pool C, which includes formidable opponents like South Korea and Japan, as well as Australia and the Czech Republic, to advance.

According to Focus Taiwan, Taiwan's recent exhibition games have raised concerns, particularly over batting performance. The team suffered defeats against Nippon Professional Baseball franchises and exhibited weak offensive outputs against the Korea Baseball Organization's Kiwoom Heroes. Yet, experts such as veteran play-by-play commentator Martin Lin and Videoland Sports anchor Jacky Lee remain optimistic. They emphasize the importance of momentum and morale in short tournaments, citing past performances to bolster their confidence in the team's potential.

Lin highlighted the absence of key players like Houston Astros' right-hander Teng Kai-wei and Chicago Cubs prospect Jonathon Long as significant voids in the team's roster. Long's absence, in particular, is considered a major setback due to his power-hitting capabilities. However, Lee pointed out that this opens up opportunities for other established players, such as Giljegiljaw Kungkuan and Yu Chang, to make impactful contributions.

Both Lin and Lee praised the current roster's balance, which they believe is an improvement over previous editions. The team boasts strong pitching talent in Gu Lin Ruei-yang and Hsu Jo-hsi, who have both progressed to the NPB. Lin emphasized that their performances will be crucial in determining Taiwan's progress in the tournament. Additionally, Lee Hao-yu and promising young pitcher Lin Wei-en are expected to play vital roles.

The experts identified South Korea as the primary challenge for Taiwan in Pool C. With Japan likely to top the pool, Taiwan's game against South Korea is seen as pivotal. The scheduling may offer Taiwan an advantage, as they will have more rest between games compared to South Korea, who face the demanding task of playing Japan on the eve of their match against Taiwan. Lee noted that Taiwan must exploit this scheduling to their benefit.