Taipei: Pedro Fernandez, ace pitcher with the Rakuten Monkeys, has made history by winning the 2025 Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) regular season MVP at an award ceremony held on Wednesday. This marks the first time an international player has received this honor in the league’s 36-year history.

According to Focus Taiwan, Fernandez, hailing from the Dominican Republic, secured 208 points out of a possible 230 in the MVP voting. This year, he achieved a remarkable feat by winning both the Taiwan Series and regular-season MVP awards, becoming the fourth player ever to do so. In a recorded speech, Fernandez expressed gratitude towards his coaches and teammates, emphasizing that the achievement was a collective effort. “This achievement is not mine alone but the fruition of our entire team,” he stated.

Having joined the Monkeys in 2023, Fernandez completed his second full CPBL season, leading the league with 168 strikeouts and 15 wins over 170 innings in 26 starts. He also ranked fourth with a 2.01 ERA, showcasing his dominance on the mound.

In other awards presented on Wednesday, Fubon Guardians reliever Li Wu Yung-qin was recognized as the Most Improved Player, while TSG Hawks closer Lin Shi-xiang took home the Rookie of the Year award. Li pitched 42 1/3 innings in 56 appearances, posting a 2.76 ERA, a significant improvement from his previous stint with the CTBC Brothers. He credited his wife for her unwavering support throughout his career. Rookie of the Year winner Lin, 24, excelled in the bullpen across 60 games, recording a league-high 30 saves with a 1.79 ERA.

Furthermore, CPBL Commissioner Tsai Chi-chang announced plans to implement a ball-strike challenge system by 2027. The league will trial TrackMan, a Doppler radar technology, in the 2026 season to enhance the accuracy of umpiring. Additional initiatives include recruiting Japanese umpires to improve game quality and launching a new CPBL app to engage fans.