It’s the beginning of the heat wave, and it’s also the season for foreign player transfers.
Two months into the season. It’s a watershed moment in the race for the top spot, and one slip and you’re down the drain. It’s not easy to be patient 메이저사이트 with foreign players who have to carry the load more than domestic players. That’s why most teams part ways with underperforming foreign players in May and June and look for replacements.
This year, the trend continued. KT Wiz reunited with William Cuevas on May 9. Cuevas, who left KT last year due to injury, had been rotating in the starting rotation for Triple-A Oklahoma City of the Los Angeles Dodgers this season. Cuevas is scheduled to arrive in Korea on Dec. 12 and reunite with KT players.
In the past, it has not been easy for foreign players to make a comeback after leaving the Korean scene. Long-term injuries, skill thresholds, and other factors combine. However, the tide has subtly changed since last year. Dan Streeley, who parted ways with the Lotte Giants after the 2021 season, joined the team last year as a replacement. Raul Alcantara left the Hanshin Tigers (Japan) and rejoined the Doosan Bears ahead of this season.
This trend is not unrelated to the situation in the United States, a foreign market. With the big league teams back to normal operations after the pandemic, there is a dearth of AAAA players on the market who could be targeted for Asia, as they try to secure as many pools as possible. In the absence of an immediate answer, we can’t afford to leave a foreigner on the sidelines. That’s why former KBO players who are familiar with the Korean culture and environment, and who have achieved some success in the league without having to adapt, are at the top of the list. Streeley (2020 strikeout leader) and Alcantara (2020 wins and winning percentage leader) have won individual titles, and Cuevas was part of KT’s 2021 title run, so “rehire” gets a nod.
Still, KT isn’t the only team scrambling to find replacements, with several other teams opening up foreign player spots through waivers. Cuevas was approached by several domestic teams before he signed with KT. The way the US market is going, we could see another U-turn.
