The Cardinals will utilize lefty Kwang Hyun Kim in the rotation, manager Mike Shildt tells reporters including Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Twitter link).
Kim, 32, had been slotted into the relief unit after battling for a starting job in camp. He has made just one relief appearance, picking up a save but allowing an earned run on two hits.
The southpaw will step into the rotation spot left when Carlos Martinez recently hit the injured list. Whether Kim can hang onto a rotation job will depend upon many factors, with his performance and the duration of Martinez’s absence likely chief among them.
Kim, a long-time Korea Baseball Organization standout, joined the Redbirds over the offseason. He’s earning at a $4MM rate this year and is guaranteed the same in 2021, with an annual $1.5MM incentive package also available.
Good.
Can he hit?
That would be Dr Show me tbe Money Ohtani you’re thinking of.
What a shocking development.
The last Cards update was a Schrocking development.
(clapping)
*tips cap*
Man, it hurts just looking at his arm twisted so unnaturally.
Who’s going to be the closer?
Gallegos was who we all expected to start the season, so I’d lean that way. ESPN shows Kim as closer with Helsley as next in line, but considering they have Familia as the Mets closer, it’s pretty clear they are just guessing like us too.
That would be Show me tbe Money Ohtani you’re thinking of.
Cards are starting a lefty. Nice. A rarity. Austin Gomber was the last Cardinals lefty to start a game. Before Gomber….can’t remember.
It just goes to show how overrated lefty starters are given how much success the Cardinals have had over the last couple decades while often using all or mostly right-handed starting rotations.