Goodbye~ Kelly LG releases 73 wins pitcher

Casey Kelly, a foreign pitcher of the LG Twins, was released ahead of the game against Doosan Bears on Tuesday. After being notified of his release, Kelly volunteered to start in front of fans.

"We have reached an agreement with new foreign pitcher Elijah Hernandez for a total of 440,000 U.S. dollars," the LG team said on Tuesday evening. Hernandez is scheduled to arrive in Korea on the 23rd. 

Hernandez from Venezuela joined the Miami Marlins in 2018. He pitched in nine games for the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Milwaukee Brewers this season. He lost one game and had an earned run average of 6.32 (11 runs allowed in 15 ⅔ innings) without a win. 

He pitched in 99 games and recorded 10 wins and 22 losses with a 5.10 ERA. He recorded 11 wins and 7 losses with a 2.87 ERA in 35 games for Triple-A in the Minor League. "Eliaser Hernandez is a complete right-hander who has sharp borderline control and outstanding pitching sense in both fastballs and breaking balls. He will join the team during this season, but I hope he will adapt quickly and serve as the first starter," LG said. 

The LG Twins will ask the KBO to announce Kelly's waivers on Monday. Kelly signed a contract with the LG Twins in 2019 and has played for six seasons so far this year. Kelly, who played in 29 games in his first year with 14 wins, 12 losses and an ERA of 2.55, had more than 10 wins every year until last year. 

He recorded 15 wins and 7 losses and an earned run average of 3.32 in 28 games in 2020, and 13 wins and 8 losses and an earned run average of 3.15 in 30 games in 2021. In 2022, he recorded 16 wins and 4 losses and an earned run average of 2.54 in 27 games, receiving the most wins award. He was the first LG pitcher to win the most wins in 21 years since Shin Yun-ho in 2001.  

Last year, Kelly was on the verge of being kicked out with a sluggish performance until the middle of the season, but rebounded in the second half and recorded 10 wins, 7 losses, and a 3.83 ERA in 30 games. In the Korean Series, he pitched in Game 1 and Game 5 and lifted the trophy with one win and a 1.59 ERA. 

Ahead of the match against Doosan on June 20 this season, the team showed sluggish performance in 19 games with five wins and eight losses and an earned run average of 4.51. Until the end of May, the team had the lowest ERA (5.60) in the league. It has gradually increased since June

LG General Manager Cha Myung-seok left for the U.S. on the 17th to find a new foreign pitcher. Manager Yeom Kyung-yeop said, "I went to see a first-line pitcher. I went to see just one. Whether I replace him or not, a decision will be made quickly." Kelly, who has a lower fastball speed than usual, has been replaced as left-hander Ence, who throws more than 150 kilometers of fastballs, showed more stable pitching. 

"I heard about his contract yesterday. I wanted to be good to Kelly, who has played for six years, until the end. I was going to change the starting pitcher today, but I gave him the right to decide. I asked him to decide by the end of the game whether he wants to throw the ball or not throw it to the fans. He said he would throw it as the starting pitcher today," manager Yeom Kyung-yeop said, explaining about Kelly's starting pitcher, which was decided to be released. 

Kelly was ousted, but he did his best for the team and its fans until the end. Kelly started the game against Doosan and pitched a scoreless game with two outs and a runner on the second base in the top of the third inning, and the game was suspended due to rain. LG had a 6-0 lead. 

Kelly is now tying for fourth in the total number of wins as a foreign pitcher in the KBO league. He shares the fourth place with Van Hekken with 73 wins after Nippert (102 wins), Rios (90 wins), and Sosa (77 wins). He is also ranking fourth with the largest number of wins in the team's history. He is ranking fourth with 73 wins after Kim Yong-soo (126 wins), Jeong Sam-heum (106 wins), and Kim Tae-won (85 wins).
 

BY: 토토사이트 순위