Lotte Giants foreign pitcher Dan Strayley packed his bags during the season.
Lotte announced on the 18th that it had recruited Aaron Wilkerson (34), a foreign pitcher who played for the Hanshin Tigers in Japan last year. At the same time, he said goodbye to Strayley.
Strayley’s replacement was predicted. Strayley, who was expected to play the role of an ace, only had an average ERA of 4.37 with 3 wins and 5 losses this season. He pitched about 5 innings per game. In all 16 appearances, he made only four quality starts (6 or more innings, 3 earned runs or less). He doesn’t have good grades, but his ability to digest innings is poor, adding to the burden of the bullpen. His on-base percentage per inning (WHIP) is high at 1.48. Barnes (5-6, 4.57 ERA) also shows ups and downs, but is better than at the beginning of the season.
Strayley debuted in the KBO League wearing a Lotte uniform in 2020. In his first season, he displayed the best foreign pitcher in the club’s history. Strayley won 15 wins, 4 losses, an average ERA of 2.50 and even the strikeout title (205) in 31 games in 2020. The following year, he went 10-12 with a 4.07 earned run average, but he was responsible for 165 and 2/3 innings (164 strikeouts). He took on the role of cheerleader at the dugout using gongs and pairs.
Lotte offered to renew the contract, but Strayley refused, indicating a willingness to try again on the American stage. Strayley had previously gone 44-40 with a 4.56 ERA in the big leagues.
Lotte and Strayley quickly joined hands again.
Lotte released Glenn Sparkman, who had an average ERA of 5.31 with 2 wins and 4 losses, and recruited Strayley again, offering a multi-year contract. The score in the second half worked. Strayley brought victory as soon as he joined. Last year, in 11 games, he showed off his strength with 4 wins, 2 losses and an average ERA of 2.31.
Lotte expected Strayley to play an ace role this season as well. I expected him to form a one-two punch with Charlie Barnes and lead a strong starting lineup.
However, in his mid-30s, Strayley showed a clear downward trend. The four-seam fastball, which recorded 145.8 km/h and 2575.4 revolutions per minute in 2021, fell to 143.0 km/h and 2374.4 this season. While Park Se-woong and Na Kyun-an took turns playing the role of ace, Strayley lowered his head more and more. He even neatly trimmed his beard, which was his trademark, as if he had suffered greatly from his recent slump.
In the end, as Lotte decided to raise the number of victories in the top-five competition, Strayley was notified of the release. Strayley’s career record in the KBO League is 32 wins, 23 losses, and an average ERA of 3.29 in 89 games. He struck out 494 while pitching a total of 503 innings.
Unlike when he left Korea in the fall of 2021, when he showed his intention to try again in the major leagues, he packed his bags with regret this time. 메이저놀이터
Meanwhile, Lotte replacement foreign player Wilkerson will enter Korea on the 19th and go through necessary administrative procedures and condition adjustments before deciding on a starting date.
