“The announcement of a new foreign pitcher will be made in the next day or so.”
The KIA Tigers announced on Thursday that they have “filed a waiver claim with the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) for pitcher Adonis Medina.”
Medina donned a KIA uniform ahead of this season. But he hasn’t lived up to expectations. In four games in April, he went 1-3 with a 5.87 ERA and 15 runs (15 earned) in 23 innings, and in four games in May, he went 1-3 with a 5.75 ERA and 16 runs (13 earned) in 20⅓ innings.
Medina showed no signs of improving in June. In four games, he allowed 11 runs (11 earned) in 14⅔ innings for a 6.75 ERA. Most notably, he walked 13 batters while striking out just four. He also posted a WHIP (walks allowed per inning) of 1.91.
KIA removed Medina from the roster ahead of their game against the Hanwha Eagles in Daejeon on May 22. At the time, KIA manager Kim Jong-kook said, “It’s a different situation than Shawn Anderson. Anderson was sent down to the second team to make adjustments, but Medina seems to have shown the limits of his skills.” “I don’t think it will be easy for him to stay in the first team anymore. I think he’s lost a lot of confidence. We’re looking at replacing him.”
Medina packed his bags. He leaves Korea with a record of 2-6 in 12 games, 58 innings, 42 runs (39 earned), 38 hits, 36 walks, and a 6.05 ERA.
KIA is looking for a replacement foreign pitcher. The most likely candidate is Mario Sanchez. Sanchez is a right-handed pitcher for the Tung Yi Lions of the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL). “Tung Yi announced that Sanchez has signed a contract with KIA,” Taiwanese media outlet Focus Taiwan reported on April 2. 메이저놀이터
In 10 games (nine starts) this season, Sanchez has pitched 62⅔ innings with 11 runs (10 earned), 12 hits, 42 strikeouts, a 1.44 ERA, and a 0.926 WHIP (walks allowed per nine innings). In particular, he won all five games in June and posted a 0.76 ERA.
Manager Kim Jong-kook met with reporters at SSG Landers Field in Incheon on June 4 to discuss the foreign pitching situation, saying, “Medina was placed on waivers today. I think the announcement of a new foreign pitcher will come out around the day after tomorrow.”