TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Boston Red Sox second baseman, Yu Chang (張育成), could not have found a better way to end his start-of-season batting slump.
In the 4th inning of Sunday’s (4/16 Taiwan time) game against the California Angels, he crushed a low fastball high over Fenway’s Green Monster for a two-run homerun, giving his team a 5-4 lead.
Yu Chang’s first attempt at the plate led him to pop out on an infield fly in the 2nd inning. Later in the 8th inning, Yu Chang would get his second hit, a single, which would give him 4 RBIs for the game.
The Red Sox needed all of Yu Chang’s run production as they held on to win the game by a final score of 9-7. The Red Sox have struggled with injuries and poor pitching and are sitting at the bottom of a very competitive American League East.
Yu Chang’s performance snapped a futile 0-28 streak at the plate, an embarrassment for a player who won MVP of Pool A in the World Baseball Classic competition for his hitting prowess. His futility at the plate sunk his batting average to an unheard of .100.
What has kept Yu Chang in the Major Leagues is his fine defensive play, and his ability to play just about every position in the infield. While solid glove play has landed him tryouts with teams ranging from the Cleveland Guardians to the Pittsburgh Pirates, his frequent strikeouts have made it difficult for him to stick with any particular team.
When Yu Chang hits, he has solid power, as demonstrated by his WBC performance and today’s deep shot which nearly left Fenway Park. Many in Boston and in Taiwan are hoping he finds today’s prowess at the plate to be him shaking off a slow start and finally finding form.