Did Yu Chang play in MLB? Chinese Taipei WBC star saves best stats for World Baseball Classic

Did Yu Chang play in MLB? Chinese Taipei WBC star saves best stats for World Baseball Classic originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Yu Chang's name likely sounds familiar. 

The 3-hitter for Chinese Taipei at the World Baseball Classic has a solid MLB history that precedes his time on the international stage representing his country.

Chang isn't stateside anymore, but he'll be in the spotlight in the days ahead as he tries to lead Chinese Taipei to a surprising tournament run.

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Did Yu Chang play in MLB?

Yes, Yu Chang played in Major League Baseball.

He played for the Cleveland Indians/Guardians for the longest stretch.

Chang also suited up for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Tampa Bay Rays and Boston Red Sox.

He now plays in the CPBL for the Fubon Guardians.

Yu Chang's Cleveland history

The Indians signed Chang as an international free agent in 2013 for a $500,000 signing bonus.

That bonus money doesn't often go to players from outside of the Caribbean and Latin America, but Change caught Cleveland's attention.

Chang made his MLB debut in 2019. His first major league home run came that September.

In total, Chang's MLB career across his four teams included 20 home runs and a .204 average.

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Yu Chang WBC stats

Chang played in the 2023 WBC for Chinese Taipei.

That year, he was the MVP of Pool A. He hit .438 in pool play with two home runs and eight RBI in just four games.

He also stood out in WBC Qualifiers for the 2026 tournament, hitting .389 with four doubles and a home run during those games.

Clearly, he enjoys representing his country.

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