The Miami Marlins have signed on Taiwanese pitcher Chen Wei-yin for five years. The contract makes Chen the highest paid Chinese-speaking athlete in professional sports.
Chen is a left-handed pitcher who played for the Chinese Taipei National Team in the 2008 Olympics and for the Baltimore Orioles from 2012 to 2015. He will be Miami’s second ace, or second-best player, on their all-star line-up.
Chen’s five-year contract is for US$80 million. His US$16 million annual salary is higher than those of both the NBA’s Yao Ming and Jeremy Lin.
According to a report from FOX Sports, Chen’s contract includes a player option, which grants him the power to choose whether or not to stay an extra year for US$16 million at the end of the contract.