The Lotte Giants have made a foreign pitching change. They released the struggling Dan Straily.
“We have signed foreign pitcher Aaron Wilkerson (34), who pitched for the Hanshin Tigers of Nippon Professional Baseball in the 2022 season, as a replacement for Dan Stratley,” Lotte announced today.
Lotte signed Wilkerson for a total of $350,000 ($250,000 salary, $100,000 option). Wilkerson is a right-handed pitcher with a height of 188 centimeters and a weight of 104 kilograms who made his debut in 2014 through amateur free agency in Boston.
He has appeared in 14 games in the majors and has a 58-31 record with a 3.42 ERA in 158 minor league games (783⅔ innings). Last year, he went 5-5 with a 4.08 ERA in 14 games (70⅔ innings) for Hanshin.
Lotte said of Wilkerson, “He has excellent fastball movement and a strong changeup, and his experience in the Japanese professional league has helped him adapt to Asian baseball.”
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to take on a new challenge in the KBO,” Wilkerson said. I am very proud and excited to be a part of the Lotte Giants, one of the most popular franchises in the league. My experience in the Japanese professional league has helped me adapt to the Asian culture, so I’m looking forward to playing professional baseball in Korea. I will try to win as many games as possible to contribute to the team’s championship.”
Wilkerson will arrive in Korea on the 19th and will go through the necessary administrative procedures and physicals before deciding on a pitching date.
Meanwhile, Lotte requested a waiver announcement from the KBO on Nov. 18 for pitcher Stratley. Straylor has struggled this season, going 3-5 with a 4.37 ERA in 16 appearances (80⅓ innings). Strily, who first appeared in a Lotte uniform in 2020, had a 32-23 record with a 3.29 ERA in 89 games over four seasons prior to this year.스포츠토토
Lotte claimed foreign-born outfielder Jack Rex, who has been struggling with a knee injury, off waivers on Nov. 11 and signed Nico Goodrum, 30, as its new foreign-born outfielder for an annual salary of $400,000. The infield utility player had 286 at-bats in Triple-A for the Boston Red Sox this season, batting 2-for-8 with a .448 on-base percentage and .440 slugging percentage.