(Reuters) – Former St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Kim Kwang-hyun has joined South Korean aspect SSG Landers on a four-year contract price a KBO League record 15.1 billion received ($12.2 million), the crew introduced on Tuesday.
The 33-year-old represented SK Wyverns – the identify of the Landers crew earlier than it modified house owners – till 2019, earlier than heading to the United States to play in Major League Baseball with the Cardinals.
Left-hander Kim turned a free agent in 2021 and mentioned he had no doubts about his subsequent vacation spot, after being supplied an enormous wage and the chance to reconnect with followers from South Korea.
“While pitching in the majors, I bought to expertise baseball on the highest stage and in addition discovered the worth of connecting with followers,” Kim, who will participate in crew coaching on Wednesday, mentioned in a press release.
“I used to be capable of problem myself in the majors due to help from followers right here, and I made a decision I needed to offer again to them as soon as I returned to the KBO.
“The Landers recognised my worth with the largest contract ever in the KBO, and I did not must suppose lengthy and onerous concerning the reunion.”
Kim was the KBO common season MVP in 2008 and claimed 4 Korean Series titles with the Incheon-based Wyverns.
($1 = 1,237.4300 received)
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Tomasz Janowski)
