| Kai-Wei Teng | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
_(Cropped).jpg) Teng with the Minnesota Twins in 2018 | |||||||||||||||
| San Francisco Giants – No. 70 | |||||||||||||||
| Pitcher | |||||||||||||||
| Born: (1998-12-01)December 1, 1998 (age 26) Taichung,Taiwan | |||||||||||||||
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |||||||||||||||
| MLB debut | |||||||||||||||
| March 31, 2024, for the San Francisco Giants | |||||||||||||||
| MLB statistics (through 2024 season) | |||||||||||||||
| Win–loss record | 0–0 | ||||||||||||||
| Earned run average | 9.82 | ||||||||||||||
| Strikeouts | 7 | ||||||||||||||
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |||||||||||||||
| Teams | |||||||||||||||
Medals
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Kai-Wei Teng (Chinese:鄧愷威;Wade–Giles:Teng4 Kai3-wei1; born December 1, 1998) is a Taiwanese professionalbaseballpitcher in theSan Francisco Giants organization. He made hisMajor League Baseball (MLB) debut in 2024.
Teng attended Shi Yuan Senior High School inTaichung before transferring to Kao-Yuan Vocational High School of Technology & Commerce inKaohsiung. He enrolled at theNational Taiwan Sport University.[1]
On October 20, 2017, theMinnesota Twins signed Teng for a $500,000signing bonus.[2] He made his professional debut with the rookie–levelGulf Coast League Twins in 2018, making 10 appearances (9 starts) and posting a 3.59 ERA with 47 strikeouts in42+2⁄3 innings pitched.[3]
He began the 2019 season with theCedar Rapids Kernels of theSingle–AMidwest League, and was named the league's pitcher of the week for the week ending July 14.[4] In 9 games for Cedar Rapids, Teng logged a 4–0 record and 1.60 ERA.
On July 31, 2019, the Twins traded Teng,Jaylin Davis, andPrelander Berroa to theSan Francisco Giants in exchange forSam Dyson.[5] He made five starts for the Single–AAugusta GreenJackets, recording a 1.55 ERA with 39 strikeouts across39+2⁄3 innings of work. Teng did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of theCOVID-19 pandemic.[6]
On June 2, 2021, while pitching for the High–AEugene Emeralds, he was suspended for 10 games after umpires found a foreign substance in his glove.[7] In 21 starts for Eugene, Teng recorded a 4.33 ERA with 142 strikeouts in95+2⁄3 innings of work.[8] Teng spent the 2022 season with the Double–ARichmond Flying Squirrels, making 28 starts and registering a 6–12 record and 5.22 ERA with a career–high 169 strikeouts in136+1⁄3 innings pitched.[9]
Teng began the 2023 season back with Double–A Richmond, starting 12 games and posting a 4.75 ERA with 68 strikeouts in47+1⁄3 innings of work.[10] On June 18, 2023, he was promoted to the Triple–ASacramento River Cats.[11] In 17 games (16 starts) for Sacramento, Teng logged a 6–5 record and 4.22 ERA with 96 strikeouts across 76 innings pitched.
On November 14, 2023, the Giants added Teng to their40-man roster to protect him from theRule 5 draft.[12][13] He spent some time in major league spring training,[14] and was optioned to Triple–A Sacramento to begin the 2024 season.[15] On March 29, 2024, Teng was promoted to the major leagues for the first time.[16][17] Teng made his major league debut in relief ofDaulton Jefferies, pitching three innings while yielding four hits and three runs.[18][19] In 4 games during his rookie campaign, he struggled to a 9.82 ERA with 7 strikeouts over 11 innings of work. Teng wasdesignated for assignment by San Francisco on November 19.[20] On November 22, the Giants non–tendered Teng, making him a free agent.[21]
On November 29, 2024, Teng re–signed with the Giants organization on a minor league contract.[22]
Teng played for theTaiwanese national team (Chinese Taipei) in the2019 Asian Baseball Championship, pitching in thegold medal game against Japan, which Taiwan won.[23] He is included on their roster for the2023 World Baseball Classic.[24]
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