▲ Li Haoyu, a Taiwan-born infielder, made an emotional major-league debut on April 18.
SPOTV News — Kim Tae-woo: Li Haoyu, 23, of the Detroit Tigers, who drew criticism this spring for derogatory remarks about Korea and subsequently apologized, finally stepped onto the major-league field he’d been chasing, extending Taiwan’s presence in the big leagues.
Li was added to Detroit’s active roster on short notice for the April 18 game at Fenway Park. The Tigers placed infielder Jack McKinstry on the injured list with inflammation in his hip and abdomen, creating an opening for a Triple-A call-up.
Having shown promise at the Triple-A level and ranking among Detroit’s higher-rated infield prospects, Li earned the opportunity. He didn’t stay on the bench—Detroit started him at third base, batting eighth, for his debut.
A top positional prospect from Taiwan, Li signed with the Philadelphia organization in 2021 for $500,000. He was traded to Detroit in August 2023 and progressed methodically through the minors. After the 2025 season the Tigers added him to their 40-man roster, signaling his major-league arrival was near; McKinstry’s unexpected injury simply accelerated the timeline.
▲ Li was added to the Tigers' major-league roster on April 18, started the game, went 0-for-3 and committed one error.
Li’s spring-training comments landed him in hot water. While talking with teammate Jermai Jones—who represented South Korea in last March’s World Baseball Classic—Li was reported to have said, “Fxxx Korea,” a remark that drew heavy media backlash.
Korea and Taiwan were placed in the same WBC qualifying pool, and Li had been expected to be part of Taiwan’s WBC roster, so critics said he’d crossed a line. Some viewed the comment as locker-room banter aimed at a possible opponent in Jones, but many found it inappropriate because it disparaged a country.
Li moved quickly to defuse the situation, calling the comment a poorly judged U.S.-style joke and saying he never intended to insult Korea or anyone else. His apology calmed the controversy to some degree, but the episode remained part of his public record. Ironically, a strained oblique during spring training kept him out of the WBC.
Li began the season in Triple-A with Detroit’s Toledo affiliate. He struggled through six games, hitting .154, but still earned the call-up this week.
▲ Li faced backlash after media reports revealed he made derogatory remarks about Korea while talking with teammate Jermai Jones during spring training.
His debut, however, was a reality check. He went 0-for-3 with a strikeout and committed an error, underlining the jump in competition at the major-league level. Expectation is he may return to Triple-A for more seasoning once Detroit’s injured players are healthy.
Since Chin-Feng Chen debuted with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2002, Taiwanese players have periodically reached MLB. Li is the 19th player from Taiwan to make the majors. The group includes notable names such as Chien-Ming Wang, who signed with the New York Yankees in 2005, and Wei-Yin Chen, who signed with Baltimore in 2012; Wei-Chung Wang debuted with Milwaukee in 2014 and later played in the KBO for NC.
After a pause in Taiwanese MLB debuts during the COVID-19 years, Deng Kai-wei broke through in 2024 and Cheng Jung-jo debuted in 2025. Li’s arrival marks three consecutive years with a new Taiwanese major-leaguer, though none have yet cemented a long-term role in the big leagues.
▲ Li Haoyu, recorded as the 19th player from Taiwan to reach the majors.
