Taiwanese pitcher Deng Kai-wei meets batter Li Hao-yu in MLB's first Taiwan vs. Taiwan duel

Houston Astros pitcher Deng Kai‑wei started against the Detroit Tigers, creating MLB history as the first game to feature a pitcher‑batter showdown between two Taiwanese players. In the April‑May‑June season game, Deng logged a career‑high nine strikeouts over 3.1 innings but also allowed five earned runs, six hits (including three home runs) and walked four batters, giving the Tigers a 1‑0 lead early.

Fellow Taiwanese player Li Hao‑yu struck out in the second inning, then recorded a single to right field in the fourth, becoming the first Taiwanese hitter to record a hit in the same duel. The Astros fell behind 5‑3 and Deng was charged with the loss as Detroit held on for the victory. The matchup highlighted the growing presence of Taiwanese talent in Major League Baseball.