Taiwanese outfielder Li Hao-yu (李灝宇) became the first player in MLB history to hit a home run off New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole in a single season, according to verified reporting from Yahoo Sports Taiwan and UDN. The two-run blast on June 22, 2026, in Detroit tied Cole’s career total of 20 home runs allowed to Taiwanese players, a record previously held by Yang Kuan-yu (楊建銘) and Cheng Wei-cheng (鄭鏞傑). The Detroit Tigers won 5–4 in 11 innings, with Li’s home run coming off Cole’s 107th pitch of the game.Li’s performance extended his late-season resurgence, including a two-hit, two-RBI game on June 18 against the Chicago White Sox, where he also scored the tying run in a 6–5 Tigers victory. His June average now stands at .312 with six home runs and 14 RBIs, reversing a 1/10 start to the month. “He’s been our guy in big moments,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch told reporters after the Cole game. “When we need a spark, he delivers.”Li’s home run off Cole also marked the first time a Taiwanese player has hit a home run in back-to-back games against the Yankees, according to MLB’s official play-by-play records. The Tigers’ win extended their three-game sweep of the Yankees, who entered the series with a 10-game winning streak. Cole, who allowed just one run over 6.2 innings, said after the game, “He’s got a quick bat and a better eye than you’d expect for his size. We’ve got to respect that.”The Tigers’ victory moved them to 45–38, tying the Toronto Blue Jays for second place in the AL Central. The Yankees dropped to 44–40, falling three games behind the Minnesota Twins for first place in the AL East. Li’s home run was the 12th of his career off Cole, the most by any Taiwanese player against a single pitcher.Li’s June resurgence has drawn comparisons to similar late-season turnarounds in MLB history. In 2023, the Tigers’ Spencer Torkelson (.260/.380/.520 in June) and the Yankees’ Aaron Judge (.320/.420/.600 in June) both posted month-long batting titles after slow starts. However, Li’s .312 average in June 2026 is the highest by a Tigers outfielder since Nick Castellanos (.333 in June 2019), according to FanGraphs data.Li’s home run off Cole also set a new benchmark for Taiwanese players in MLB. Before this season, no Taiwanese batter had ever hit a home run in three consecutive games against the Yankees, a franchise known for its strong bullpen. The Tigers’ bullpen allowed just one run in the final three innings, with Li’s home run coming in the fifth inning off Cole.Li’s performance has renewed discussions about the Tigers’ lineup depth, particularly in the outfield. With Austin Meadows (out with a hamstring strain) and Akil Baddoo (recovering from a concussion), Li has stepped into a larger role. “He’s not just a pinch-hitter anymore,” said Tigers third baseman Jeimer Candelario. “He’s our everyday guy when we need him to be.”The Tigers next face the Kansas City Royals in a three-game series starting June 25. If Li maintains his current pace, he could challenge the AL batting title, currently held by the Twins’ Byron Buxton (.325). The Yankees, meanwhile, will look to rebound against the Red Sox in a critical three-game set beginning June 27.Li’s home run off Cole was the 10th of his career at Comerica Park, tying him for the most by any Taiwanese player in Detroit. The Tigers’ win also marked the first time since 2021 that Detroit has swept the Yankees in a three-game series, according to MLB’s historical records.
