Taiwanese baseball pitcher Chen Wei-yin says he is proud of joining the Miami Marlins. Chen was speaking Friday morning upon returning to Taiwan from the US.
Chen just signed a five-year, US$80 million contract with the baseball team, making him the world’s highest-paid Chinese speaking athlete.
It is expected that Chen will be second starter against the Detroit Tigers in early April.
Speaking at a press conference, Chen said he feels relieved after signing the contract. The contract includes an opt-out clause and also allows him the option of extending his contract for a sixth year. Should Chen choose to stay on for all six years, it’s possible that he could rake in NT$3.2 billion (US$106 million).
“For a Chinese-speaking person, it’s an astronomical figure and that [record] is unlikely to be broken. This opportunity is an acknowledgement by the team and the company. For me, it’s an honor," said Chen.