Chin-Hui Tsao (Chinese: 曹錦輝; pinyin: Cáo Jǐnhūi; born June 2, 1981) is a former professional baseball pitcher from Taiwan. He made history as the first pitcher from Taiwan to play in Major League Baseball (MLB). He is also the second Taiwanese player ever to reach the major leagues.

Chin-Hui Tsao is a Taiwanese aborigine from the Amis group. He played for the Colorado Rockies and Los Angeles Dodgers in MLB. Later, he played for the Brother Elephants in Taiwan's Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL). In 2009, he faced serious accusations about games, which led to him leaving the team. Tsao once threw a pitch at 100 miles per hour (161 km/h) in 2005. This was the fastest pitch by a Taiwanese pitcher at that time.

Playing Professional Baseball
International Baseball Career
See also

Playing Professional Baseball

Starting with the Colorado Rockies

After finishing high school in 1999, Tsao briefly played for a team called Kaoping Fala in Taiwan. Soon after, on October 19, 1999, the Colorado Rockies signed him. He started his journey in their minor league system.

In 2000, Tsao played for the Asheville Tourists. He started 24 games and had a great record of 11 wins and 8 losses. He also had an impressive 187 strikeouts. Because of his excellent performance, he received several awards. These included being named a Minor League All-Star by Baseball America.

Tsao faced a challenge in 2001 when he had surgery on his right elbow. This kept him from playing for most of that year. He returned to play in 2002, making 9 starts and showing good progress.

By 2003, Tsao was healthy and playing well for the Double-A Tulsa Drillers. He had 11 wins and 4 losses in 18 starts. He also struck out 125 batters. His strong performance earned him a spot on the Double-A All-Star team.

Major League Debut

Tsao made his first appearance in Major League Baseball on July 25, 2003. He started a game for the Rockies against the Milwaukee Brewers. He pitched for over six innings, allowing only 3 runs. He also struck out 5 batters and earned his first win. This made him the first pitcher from Taiwan to play in a Major League game.

On August 18, 2003, Tsao made more history. He became the first Taiwanese player to get a hit in an MLB game. He was also the only Rockies player to get a hit in that game.

In 2004, injuries and his commitment to the Chinese Taipei Olympic team limited his playing time. He appeared in 10 games for the Rockies. On September 29, he earned his first professional save.

Injury Challenges

The Rockies planned for Tsao to be their main closer in 2005. However, he suffered two right shoulder injuries. These injuries required surgery, which ended his season early. He missed all of the 2006 season while recovering. After that, the Rockies let him become a free agent.

Time with the Los Angeles Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers signed Tsao and invited him to their spring training in 2007. He earned a spot on the team and pitched well at first. He had over 10 scoreless innings before a tough game on May 6.

Tsao continued to have injury problems during the 2007 season. He missed the second half of the year due to an injury. After the season, the Dodgers wanted him to play in the minor leagues. However, he chose to become a free agent instead.

Playing for the Kansas City Royals

In 2008, Tsao signed a minor league contract with the Kansas City Royals. He hoped to earn a spot on their main team. But he did not make the team and started the season in Triple-A. The Royals released him on June 3, 2008.

After leaving the Royals, Tsao returned to Taiwan. He joined the Chinese Taipei national baseball team for the 2008 Olympics. In this tournament, he pitched only a short time.

Joining the Brother Elephants

On December 31, 2008, the Brother Elephants team in Taiwan's CPBL drafted Tsao. He was the second overall pick in the first round. He signed with the team on March 23, 2009.

During the 2009 CPBL season, Tsao had 8 wins and 8 losses. He pitched 93.2 innings for the team. He was the losing pitcher in the final game of the 2009 Taiwan Series.

Leaving the Team

After the 2009 Taiwan Series, Tsao was investigated for accusations about games. On February 10, 2010, authorities announced that Tsao had accepted gifts from people who tried to influence games unfairly. He had allegedly agreed to affect two games in August 2009. However, one game was cancelled due to Typhoon Morakot. Tsao also decided not to go along with the other game.

Even though he was not formally charged, the Brother Elephants team still removed him. They said it was due to his actions. This decision ended his baseball career in Taiwan at that time.

Trying for a Comeback

Throughout 2010, Tsao tried to join several independent baseball teams in the United States. But he was turned down each time. For a while, he ran a barbecue restaurant in Hualien City with a former teammate. Later, he opened his own beef noodle soup restaurant in Hualien City.

In December 2014, Tsao attempted to return to professional baseball. He signed with the Adelaide Bite in the Australian Baseball League. However, the Australian Baseball League suspended him when he arrived. This happened after discussions with CPBL and MLB officials.

Returning to the Los Angeles Dodgers

Tsao pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2015

On December 31, 2014, Tsao signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. This contract included an invitation to spring training. He started the season with the AA Tulsa Drillers. He was then promoted to the AAA Oklahoma City Dodgers.

On July 8, 2015, Tsao was called up to the major league team. This was eight years after his last MLB appearance. On July 10, Tsao pitched a scoreless inning against the Milwaukee Brewers. This was his first major league game since July 14, 2007.

Tsao earned his first major league win since May 11, 2005. He was the first pitcher since 1953 to have such a long gap between major league wins. He pitched in five games for the Dodgers in 2015. He was later sent back to AAA. In February 2016, he signed another minor league contract with the Dodgers.

He started the 2016 season with Oklahoma City. On May 19, he was added to the Dodgers' major league roster again. He appeared in two games for the Dodgers in May 2016. After his second game, he was placed on the disabled list due to a right triceps injury. He remained injured for the rest of the season. On November 9, Tsao became a free agent.

Playing for the Long Island Ducks

On February 8, 2017, Tsao signed with the Long Island Ducks. This is an independent team in the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. He announced his retirement from baseball on June 19, 2017.

International Baseball Career

Tsao proudly represented his country in five major international baseball competitions. These included the Junior World Championships in 1996, 1997, and 1999. He also played in the 1999 Asian Baseball Championship.

He participated in the 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympics. In his two Olympic appearances, Tsao had a good ERA of 1.93 and one save. At the 1999 Asia Cup, he was outstanding. He made three appearances, allowing only 3 hits and 0 runs in 11 innings. He also struck out 19 batters.

During the 2004 Olympics in Athens, his fastball was recorded at 159 km/h (99 mph).

Chin-Hui Tsao facts for kids

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