The Chinese Professional Baseball League's Taiwan Series qualifier opens Friday, Oct. 9, at 5:05 p.m. when the Uni-President 7-ELEVEN Lions visit the CTBC Brothers at Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium—game one of a best-of-five set in which the second-half champion Brothers already carry a one-win handicap into the series.
Series format and home sites
CPBL announced the bracket after the regular season ended: Brothers, as second-half champions, begin with a 1–0 lead and host three of five games at Taichung on Oct. 9, 11 and 12 if necessary. The Lions' lone home date is Oct. 10 at Tainan's Asia-Pacific main stadium under the league's 1-away-1-home-2-home pattern without travel off-days.
Stakes beyond game one
The winner advances to the Taiwan Series against the first-half champion Wei Chuan Dragons, who hold home-field advantage in a best-of-seven starting Oct. 17 at Taipei Dome. For the Lions, climbing out of a 1–0 hole requires winning three of the next four; for the Brothers, a single victory in the first two home dates would push them to the brink of the franchise's latest dome appearance.
Rotation and matchup questions
Brothers manager Tsai Hsiao-long declined to confirm a game-one starter at midweek media availability, citing bullpen rest after the regular-season finale. Lions staff hinted at a right-handed opener who excelled in inter-squad rehearsals, but CPBL injury reports still listed one outfielder day-to-day with hamstring tightness—a spoiler role if he can pinch-run in Taichung.
Fan and stadium ops
Taichung sports authorities expect a sellout crowd for the Friday commute-hour start and will open auxiliary concourses used during August heat waves. Ticket resale warnings circulated after playoff seats sold through in minutes when the matchup was set Oct. 5.
Broadcast and legacy
National feeds carry Mandarin and Taiwanese commentary; international streams remain geo-blocked except CPBL's paid app. Game one sets the tone for a series where Brothers fans treat the handicap as earned while Lions supporters frame the opener as must-win—standard CPBL math when a 1–0 lead meets October nights in Taichung.
Pitching matchups
Brothers bullpen depth built during the second-half title run favors early hooks if the Lions start left-handed bats stacked against Taichung's short porch, while Lions manager Lin Yueh-ping may counter with a bullpen game to avoid exposing a thin rotation twice in three days.
Taiwan Series path
Wei Chuan Dragons executives watching from Taipei Dome prep sessions said they will scout all five games on video regardless of opponent, because home-field rules in the Taiwan Series shift if the Lions upset the handicap series.
City police published Taichung Intercontinental traffic plans for the 5:05 p.m. start, expecting Blue Line ridership spikes similar to last season's wildcard clinch.