The Samsung Lions of the Korea Baseball Organization announced last night they’ve re-signed all three of their foreign-born players (h/t to Dan Kurtz of MyKBO.net). Right-handers David Buchanan and Albert Suarez and outfielder José Pirela all inked new deals for the 2023 campaign.
All three players have prior MLB experience. Buchanan made 35 starts for the Phillies from 2014-15, posting a 5.01 ERA. He spent three seasons in Japan and has now played three years in South Korea, working to a 3.45 ERA or lower each year. Buchanan provided the Lions 160 frames of 3.04 ERA ball this past season. Joel Sherman of the New York Post tweeted last night the 33-year-old righty was drawing some attention from MLB teams but decided to return to Daegu for a fourth season. He’ll make $1.6MM, according to the team announcement.
Suarez played for the Giants in 2016-17. He posted a 4.51 ERA in 115 2/3 innings for San Francisco. By 2019, he’d made the jump to Asia. Like Buchanan, he first went to Japan. After three seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball, he signed with the Lions in 2022. His first season in the KBO was a resounding success, as he posted a 2.49 ERA over 173 2/3 innings while starting 29 of 30 outings. The Venezuelan-born righty will return for a second season on a $1.3MM salary.
Pirela, who’ll make $1.7MM, is the highest-paid of the trio. He also started in NPB before making the move to South Korea for the 2021 campaign. The right-handed hitter has played two seasons for the Lions, combining for an excellent .314/.384/.528 line in over 1200 plate appearances. That includes a massive .342/.411/.565 showing in 141 games this past season. A Venezuela native, the 33-year-old Pirela played in 302 MLB games between 2014-19. He suited up with the Yankees, Padres and Phillies and hit .257/.308/.392 in the majors.
Out of *MLB* trade rumors already
We’ve done 27 posts today. One of them was about the KBO.
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Jawinks also still.checks his highschool crush’s Facebook,/insta
Apparently the Blue Jays offered them more money.
And the Padres probably more
and the Guardians were probably runner up.
Haha no wonder I’ve been getting lots of promo emails from Samsung this month.
Gotta pay the players
Were the Guardians in on any of these guys?
Samsung love ex Yakult Swallows starting pitcher apparently
KBO and life in Korea for these players are super awesome!
Samsung Lions got the hot stove cookin!!!!
Always have to give credit to guys willing to go to Asia. I couldnt imagine leaving family behind, different culture, language…has to be a real challenge. I would think migjt be eaiser for the Latin players as they do thst coming here however.
There getting paid millions to stay overseas for 6 months easy choice to go over there
Good for David, use to play against him back in the day, love to see these guys still finding some level of success. Being paid to play a game, that’s the dream
We said we wanted Correa news. Not Korea news.
You’re posting this because? I doubt anyone really cares, just saying.
Pretty much proof the KBO is AA equivalent to the JPL being AAA equal. Can’t make millions riding the bus in AA! Take the money and run