Returning to Pro Baseball After Major Injury, Monkeys' New Foreign Hitter Dawson Aims to Hold Back Tears

(CNA Taipei, July 8) Rakuten Monkeys foreign hitter Ronnie Dawson made his Chinese Professional Baseball League debut today, starting as the cleanup hitter and left fielder against the Fubon Guardians. Recalling a major injury that he thought would end his baseball career, Dawson gratefully said he would try to hold back tears.

The Monkeys recently signed foreign fielders Ronnie Dawson and Adam Walker. Dawson received the first opportunity to play. Head coach Tseng Hao-chu stated that they would observe Dawson's integration today, and Walker is expected to report this week. He anticipates Walker's arrival will create synergy, but how they will be utilized will be discussed after he joins the team.

Dawson previously played for the KBO's Kiwoom Heroes. In 2024, he suffered a season-ending anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear. After rehabilitation, he stepped back onto the professional baseball field today. In a media interview before the game, he said, "I'm trying not to get too emotional. A year and a half ago, after getting injured in Korea, I thought my professional career was over several times. But I'm fortunate that I can still play, and I have another chance."

Fans are curious about his hitting style. Dawson said he considers himself a patient hitter who can hit the ball to all parts of the field, but he couldn't reveal too many details. "Taiwanese pitchers will read the reports, right? I don't want to give them too much of an advantage, so all I can say is I don't like fastballs right down the middle of the strike zone." After this last joke, Dawson playfully winked.

What surprised him about coming to Taiwan is that many teammates speak English, which has helped Dawson integrate into the environment more quickly. However, he is finding it difficult to adapt to the recent hot weather. "I feel like chocolate melting in the sun; I definitely need to prepare sunscreen."

Having achieved good results in the KBO in the past, Dawson had always looked forward to returning to Asian professional baseball and enjoyed the cheering atmosphere of Asian fans. However, because there were not many opportunities for foreign fielders in the CPBL in the past, he was "a little shocked but also very happy" when he received the invitation from the Monkeys.