Change the history of heroes.
Eric Yokishi is the third foreign player to spend 5 seasons (2019~) in Kiwoom alone. It’s not uncommon for him to play for the same team for 5 years. However, Kiwoom has produced three long-lived foreign pitchers following Andy Van Hecken, who played from 2012 to 2017, and Jake Brigham, who played from 2017 to 2021. As such, it has traditionally selected foreign pitchers well.
At the end of this season, the possibility of Yokishi leaving the KBO League was raised, but it was only a rumor. Kiwoom plans to use Ariel Furado, a pitcher-type foreign pitcher, as a one-two punch with Ahn Woo-jin, and use Yokishi as the third starter. As much as the power of the 1st to 3rd starters, it has built the highest level in the league.
Yokishi is the best finesse pitcher in the league. He has good deception, but his ability to put or take out half to one ball in the strike zone is evaluated as the best in the KBO league. He is a very demanding pitcher for batters as he uses various breaking balls such as curveball, sinker, and changeup.
Naturally, the possibility of changing the history of foreign pitchers raised by Yokishi is being discussed. He has already surpassed Brigham with 118 games and 51 wins so far this season, and is second in the most games and most wins by a foreign pitcher in Kiwoom. There are 28 games and 22 wins left until first place Van Hecan.
In fact, it is not easy to overcome in the 2023 season. You have to run until the 2024 season to surpass it. However, if Yokishi doesn’t lag next year, he may come as close as possible. In the case of the most innings, he is currently ranked third among foreign pitchers in Kiwoom, and with only 38⅔ innings, he surpasses Brigham and ranks second among foreign pitchers in Kiwoom. This is easily achievable. If you catch 17 more strikeouts, you will also surpass Brigham and become the second largest foreign pitcher in Kiwoom.
▲ Longevity foreign pitchers Kiwoom
Van Heken 156 games 73-42 925⅔ innings ERA 3.56 860 strikeouts
Brigham 114 games 50-26 losses 669⅓ innings average ERA 3.63 557 strikeouts
Yokishi 118 games 51 wins 33 losses 707⅔ innings ERA 2.71 541 strikeouts
Yorkish has a chance at a glory that even Van Hecken and Brigham have never had. It is the Korean series championship. Van Hecken and Brigham experienced runner-up in the Korean Series in 2014 and 2019, respectively. Yokishi has been runner-up twice in 2019 and 2022. 토토사이트
The fact that Yokishi will play as the third starter next year means that the Kiwoom starting team will become stronger. Kiwoom also spent 4.5 billion won in the free agent market to recruit outfielder Lee Hyung-jong and bullpen Won Jong-hyun, scratching the itch. If young hitters and pitchers who have performed well in the postseason grow, winning is not a dream either. The motivation that it is the last season of the star star Lee Jung-hoo is also clear.