Taipei: Ten-time Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) All-Star Chen Yung-chi has announced his retirement plans, stating that the 2026 season will be his last with the Uni-President 7-Eleven Lions. The veteran infielder made this announcement at a media event held in Taipei.

According to Focus Taiwan, Chen's decision comes after reflecting on his career and having discussions with his family and close associates following the conclusion of the 2025 season. Chen noted that although he had considered retiring three years ago, he ultimately decided to continue playing to improve his performance.

In 2022, Chen experienced a challenging season, playing only 52 games and batting .234, which was his second-lowest average following a .201 average in 2021. Despite these struggles, Chen was determined to leave the game on a stronger note, which motivated him to continue playing. In 2023, he had a remarkable comeback, batting .336 in 86 games.

Chen, who will turn 43 in July, began his professional career in the United States after signing with the Seattle Mariners in 2004. His career in the U.S. included stints with the Oakland Athletics and the Pittsburgh Pirates, reaching as far as Triple-A before joining the Uni-Lions as the first overall pick in the 2010 midseason draft.

At Friday's event, Major League Baseball scout Jamey Storvick, who signed Chen for the Mariners, praised his talent and compared his high school swing to that of Ken Griffey Jr. Storvick expressed his belief that Chen would have reached the major leagues if not for injuries and encouraged Chen to aim for a milestone of 150 home runs, surpassing the current franchise record of 136 that Chen holds.

Chen aims to reach 140 home runs before retiring and hopes his record will stand for years. Despite hitting five home runs in each of the past three seasons, he remains optimistic about achieving his goal in his final seasons.