WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: POOL C - CHINESE TAIPEI VS AUSTRALIA

March 4, 2026

Hai-Jui Tseng

Chieh-Hsien Chen

Hso-Jo Hsi

Tokyo Dome

Team Chinese Taipei

Pregame Press Conference

Q. Let's start the Chinese Taipei pregame press conference. First of all, the manager, welcome for tomorrow's contest.

HAI-JUI TSENG: Good morning, my name is -- this is the skipper, Chen, representing Chinese Taipei baseball team.

Tomorrow we are going to have opening game. Tomorrow a big match for us. We thought this is the biggest match and so it's going to be a must-win situation to make the team's after well.

So we've got the win. On the other hand, I am expecting my player to have some fun playing baseball.

CHIEH-HSIEN CHEN: Good morning, everybody. Tomorrow's game is going to be a tough game. All of my players will give our hundred percent effort. Previously my skipper said that the first game, opening game is the most important game. So tomorrow's game is a must-win game again. The entire team is expecting for tomorrow's game very well, and I'm so excited.

Also, I am expecting to myself to play well. And we get a win and we play as a team to win.

HSO JO-HSI: Hello, everybody. Throughout the intrasquad games and the practice, I am thinking that I am very much ready as a starting pitcher for tomorrow's opening game.

Q. Since you guys clinched the previous Premier12 tournament, the entire Chinese Taipei country is expecting you guys to play well. How do you feel about the atmosphere of the Chinese Taipei country?

HAI-JUI TSENG: Well, the WBC tournament is the biggest tournament in the entire world and this is the height level of baseball competition. Fortunately back in 2024 we clinched the tournament in Tokyo, and what we did, bonding the entire Chinese Taipei country as one community. The more players games we played well, we can make the country as one community. This is how I would add it for the baseball.

Q. Hello, everybody. I'm from Chinese media from TV. I have a question for all three of you. Question for the skipper. What did you -- why did you choose the starting pitcher Hsi for tomorrow's game, and what's your impression for Tokyo Dome? And Mr. Hsi, I think you had a session yesterday. How did you feel about it?

HAI-JUI TSENG: Yes, the reason why we choose Hsi as opening game of the tournament, Hsi is the best, well-prepared pitchers among our roster, and also, he also has experience of having the opening pitcher as a starter.

So that's why we expect him and designate him as starting pitcher of the tournament.

CHIEH-HSIEN CHEN: The impression for Tokyo Dome, well, I know pretty much about the Tokyo Dome. I have well experience playing here in the Tokyo Dome and also in 2024 we clinched at the Tokyo Dome here. Then we flew back to Tokyo yesterday and had a practice today. I'm so excited.

And some of the younger roster players do not have any experience here in Tokyo tome, so I'm going to give them a lecture of what the Tokyo Dome is all about. This is also part of my role.

HSO JO-HSI: Yesterday, I had a bullpen session and through breaking balls and fastballs and see how I feel. I don't see any problems about my fastballs. Some location, I have minor problems, so I'm just going to put my gear up for tomorrow's game.

Q. I'm Chinese public TV, and a question for the captain. You clinched and you've been chosen as Chinese Taipei's captain for this big tournament. The last two tournament, you're the guy bonding and gathering the team, and you yell and gave them a quote or a message. Are you going to do the same routine this tournament, as well?

CHIEH-HSIEN CHEN: Yes, Premier12, WBC qualifying tournament and WBC Tokyo tournament, yes, the national team always changing the rosters. Fortunately all the coaches are the same. So I feel very comfortable playing for them.

Being captain, in the practice, I would like to get some bonding in the team. The difference between previous tournament and this tournament is some of the players are playing for outside of Chinese Taipei. Some of these players went back home kind of late. So that was something, might be difficult for us.

But among all, all of our players are having a very high tension and they are very willing to play for the team, so I don't think I have any problems.

Regarding the atmosphere of the national team, we have some fun and we have a great harmony, and we have some hopefully some action pools after we do something good.

HSO JO-HSI: Yeah, not only me, but generally speaking, the WBC tournament is such a big and important tournament, so no matter where we play, not only Tokyo Dome, but I don't pay that much attention where I play.

I'm only concerned of what I can do for the game. As of now, all I can say is just do my best for tomorrow.

Q. Question for the captain, Mr. Chen. You had an intrasquad yesterday after you got a base hit, on base you do some action like a pose, and then following all in the dugout were imitating you. What does that mean for the entire team? And Mr. Hsi, you're joining Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks this year. What do you think of yourself of your strong point and how do you expect yourself for showing the fans?

CHIEH-HSIEN CHEN: Yes, regarding the pose, each individual action has a story. This time we had -- national team has a Counselor, mental sound cellular and he gave us tips. Touching the forearms, that means, like, we're showing the bonding as one unit. We in Taiwan are from an island. It's an isolated island and we are representing from the island to the world.

So what we mention is showing the world for the bonding to the world. And to be honest with you, yesterday the outfielder, Mr. Fairchild mentioned to us that why don't we take advice from the psychological counselor, and we agreed with that. Yesterday after Fairchild got a base hit, he forgot to do some action, though. That's how we make an action as a team.

HSO JO-HSI: Yes, this is my first ever experience playing in Japanese professional baseball field. So all I can say right now is not much about for tomorrow's game. All I can say is just have a great rest for today.

Q. After clinching the Premier12, some of the roster has been changed. What was the point? That's the first question. And after clinching the Premier12, I think you fives have strong confidence and advantage in baseball. How do you feel about that?

HAI-JUI TSENG: Regarding the changing rosters and through the successful experience, yes, as you mentioned, we all have confidence but the journey ends right after we clinched. In this sense, we are going to have a new chapter, and what were we're trying to get over (more) than the past history of our national team's result.