'Aldred Release' KIA, the leading candidate is ML 567K+36th win pitcher...The key is...
Aug 06, 2024
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With KIA starting to replace foreign pitchers by simultaneously announcing Wil Crow and Aldred on waivers on the 5th, the prospect of recruiting Lauer is spreading.
There was an opportunity. Earlier this month, amid rumors that KIA was in contact with a foreign pitcher with a big league career, Lauer tagged KIA Tigers on his SNS. As the pitcher who usually contacted the Korean team or decided to go to Korea showed similar precedents, there were speculations that Lauer may also have visualized his trip to KIA.
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Lauer, who joined the San Diego Padres in the first round of the 2016 MLB Rookie Draft, made his big league debut in the 2018 season. After moving to Milwaukee two years later, he showed his skills. In the 2021-2022 season, he played 53 games (49 starts) in the Major League, recording 18 wins and 12 losses and an ERA of 3.47.
Lauer, a left-hander, can handle a variety of pitches, including cutters, sliders, and curves, with an average fastball of 93.3 miles (about 150 kilometers). In the 2021-2022 season, the number of strikeouts per nine innings was 8.9 and the WHIP (on-base allowance per inning) was only 1.12.
However, he was hampered by injuries. After being listed on the injured list due to shoulder collision syndrome in May last year, his arrest decreased, and he played only 10 big league games. Some analysts say that he has recovered his skills to some extent through rehabilitation such as psychological counseling.
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If Lauer joins KIA, he should be in charge of the starting rotation along with James Nail and Yang Hyun-jong. Not only should he keep his starting position, but he should also display enough pitching to be a sure card for victory in the postseason. As he has an outstanding big league career, KIA's wish is expected to come true if he adapts well to the KBO league. However, just as Aldred had difficulty with right-handed hitters, Lauer had a similar history in his big league days, so how quickly he can complete his league adaptation is expected to be the key.
ppark@sportschosun.com
