Tsung-Che Cheng Celebrates Wife’s Birthday With Promotion to Pirates

PITTSBURGH — Timing is everything. Just ask Tsung-Che Cheng.

The Pittsburgh Pirates promoted Cheng, their No. 17 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, from Triple-A Indianapolis prior to Monday’s game against the St. Louis Cardinals.

There is no bad time for a first-time promotion to the big leagues, but this one in particular couldn’t have come at a better moment.

Cheng’s wife, Irene, celebrated her birthday on Sunday, the day he received the news that he was headed to Pittsburgh. He described the news as “the best gift to her.”

As it turns out, there wasn’t much competition.

“I totally forgot to prepare,” Cheng said with a laugh through interpreter Haagen Tan when asked what he got his wife. “I did prepare a chocolate birthday cake for her.”

A mistake anyone could have made. Or perhaps, Cheng was holding out long enough to truly give her the best birthday present she could have asked for. For his sake, let’s go with the latter, and it paid off.

Cheng received the news from Indianapolis manager Chris Truby while on his way home from Sunday’s game against the Iowa Cubs.

Though Cheng has started off slowly with the Pirates’ Triple-A affiliate to start the season (1 for 14), he’s fresh off an excellent showing in the Grapefruit League.

Cheng played in 14 games for the Pirates during spring training and hit .353 with a 1.047 OPS, a pair of doubles of a home run.

In addition to what he did at the plate, Cheng flashed some defensive wizardry. That’s what caught the attention of manager Derek Shelton.

“Just defensively, how dynamic he is. I think we saw full scope of it in Spring Training, regardless if he played second or short, he can really defend,” Shelton explained. “He’s played some third, a little bit in the minor leagues.”

A natural shortstop, Cheng is considered an excellent defender who has experience at second and third base in addition to short. He’s also a good runner and has performed well offensively at times during his minor-league career.

In five seasons in the organization after signing as an amateur free agent out of Taiwan in 2019, Cheng carries a .260/.359/.411 batting line with 76 doubles, 18 triples, 34 home runs, 194 RBIs and 92 steals across five levels.

The 23-year-old got the chance to take batting practice on the field during pregame warmups at PNC Park on Monday. That’s when the reality of it all started to set in.

“It’s the moment that I stood in the stadium, (seeing) the Clemente Bridge and (seeing) this stadium, it’s such a big stadium,” he said. “That’s the moment it makes you feel like, ‘Oh, it’s true.'”

Though Cheng isn’t in the lineup on Monday, it’s only a matter of time before he gets to make his Major-League debut.

That would be the metaphorical cherry on top to the chocolate cake he gave to his wife on her birthday. And he might have to send general manager Ben Cherington a thank you note for ensuring Irene had more than just a slice for her birthday.

Corresponding Move

Tsung-Che Cheng was promoted from Indianapolis to take the place of infielder Jared Triolo, who was placed on the 10-day injured list with a lumbar spine strain.

Triolo was removed from the Pirates’ lineup just before first pitch on Sunday against the New York Yankees. Through six games to start the season, Triolo has just one hit in 17 at-bats.

Last season with the Pirates, Triolo won the National League Gold Glove for utility players. In 125 games, he slashed .216/.296/.315 with 10 doubles, a triple, nine home runs, 46 RBIs and eight steals.