Nihon Ham returns to Bergen after 3 years

Doosan Bears right-hander Raul Alcantara, 32, is living the “Korean Dream.” He was the winningest pitcher in the KBO in 2020. He appeared in 31 games and pitched 198⅔ innings. With a 20-2 record and a 2.67 ERA, he won 31 games in two years, including 11 in 2019 with the KT Wiz.

The Hanshin Tigers of Nippon Professional Baseball had their eye on him. They signed him to a two-year, $2 million contract. The KBO is a stepping stone to Japan.

However, the KBO’s best pitcher didn’t last long as a starter in Japan. In his first year, he started only seven of 24 games. In 2022, he appeared in all 39 games as a middle reliever. In two years, he finished with a 4-6 record, one save, 21 holds, and a 3.96 ERA. He didn’t even make the postseason roster.

Alcantara returned to Doosan this year and went 13-7 with a 2.67 ERA in 31 games. In Japan, there was talk of a “KBO bubble”. 바카라사이트 This confirms the difference in quality between the Korean and Japanese professional leagues.

Alcantara’s case is a little different, but similar.

The Nippon Professional Baseball Nippon Ham Fighters reacquired right-hander Drew Verhagen, 34. He’s back in Japan after a three-year absence.

“I wanted to come back and pitch for Nippon Ham at some point after experiencing Japanese baseball in 2020-2021, and I’m grateful to the organization for making me another offer,” said Verhagen. Manager Tsuyoshi Shinjo welcomed the news, saying, “I didn’t expect Bergen to turn down a major league offer and come to Nippon Ham.”

After six years with the Detroit Tigers, Verhagen moved to Japan in 2019. He signed with Nippon Ham for an annual salary of 110 million yen. There were incentives.

He started 18 games in his first year, going 8-6, 3.22, and had a successful season. He threw one four-hit shutout. Re-signed for $130 million that year.

He was slowed in the first half of 2021 by a bad hip, but was strong in the second half. In his second season, he started 20 games and went 5-8 with a 3.84 ERA.

After two seasons in Nihon Ham, Berghagen moved on to the major leagues in 2022. He signed a two-year deal with the St. Louis Cardinals.

In the US, he pitched out of the bullpen instead of starting.

In 19 appearances in 2022, he posted a 3-1 record with a 6.65 ERA. He pitched 21⅔ innings. Last season, he appeared in 60 games and threw 61 innings. He went 5-1 with a 3.98 ERA in 14 starts.

His salary jumped with the addition of major league experience. He signed for 350 million yen (about $3.2 billion), nearly tripling his contract from three years ago.

After finishing last in the Pacific League for the second year in a row, Nyhonham has been aggressive offensively this winter. 메이저사이트 They have eight foreign players on their roster.

Last week, they signed 108-homer outfielder Franmil Reyes, 29, to a one-year, $1 million contract. Reyes hit 37 home runs in 2019 with the San Diego Padres and Cleveland Cavaliers. He played in 41 games in the Dominican Winter League this season, hitting nine homers and 34 RBIs.