CPBL Foreign Players Updates Volume #360
Rakuten Monkeys News: Pedro Fernández
On January 2, the Rakuten Monkeys the re-signing of Pedro Fernández for the 2025 CPBL season. The 30-year-old Dominican right-hander is set to return to Taiwan for his third season in the CPBL.
“He has been very consistent as one of our most reliable pitchers in the rotation in the past two seasons. Therefore, re-signing him for 2025 has been one of the team’s top priorities,” said the Monkeys via press release.
Rakuten Monkeys’ Pedro Fernández hurled a complete-game shutout against the Dragons. Fernández struck out 6 and gave up only 5 hits on 101 pitches. #CPBL pic.twitter.com/RJ6mokT65o
— CPBL STATS 🪬🔮 (@GOCPBL) May 25, 2024
In the 2024 CPBL season, Pedro Fernández started 25 games and recorded a 3.50 ERA and 1.30 WHIP over 151.2 innings with a slightly above-average 17.3 K% and an excellent 5.3 BB%. Although his K% in 2024 has declined compared with 2023 (25.6 K%), Fernández was still able to maintain his high WHIFF% at 21.7%.
It is also worth mentioning that Pedro Fernández pitched the most innings among the Monkeys’ pitching staff last year and ranked fourth in the league. Traditionally speaking, one of the traits CPBL teams like about their foreign pitchers is their ability to eat innings.
During the 2024 offseason, Pedro Fernández represented the Dominican Republic in the WBSC Premier12 tournament. He started one game against Taiwan in the opening round, gave up one earned run, and registered six strikeouts over six innings.
Regarding other foreign players, according to the Rakuten Monkeys’ assistant general manager, they are currently still in talks with Marcelo Martinez. The team also revealed to ETtoday that they are hoping to finalise a deal with a new foreign pitcher around mid-January.
Further Readings
Foreign players come and go. Therefore, we have compiled a foreign player tracker, and I’ll be updating that list regularly to keep pace with the ever-changing roster shuffle throughout the 2025 CPBL season.